Chapter III

Copyright Licensing and Transfer Contracts

Article 26  Anyone who uses a work of another shall conclude a licensing contract with the copyright owner, except where no license is required as provided in this Law.

A licensing contract shall include the following main contents:

(1) types of rights licensed for use;

(2) the exclusive or non-exclusive nature of the right to exploit the work covered by the license;

(3) territorial scope and the term of the license;

(4) rates of remuneration and the means of payment;

(5) liability for breach of contract; and

(6) other contents that both parties deem necessary to be agreed upon.

Article 27  Anyone who transfers any of the rights provided in Subparagraphs (5) to (17) of the first paragraph of Article 10 of this Law shall conclude a written contract.

A copyright transfer contract shall include the following main contents:

(1) title of the work;

(2) type and territorial scope of the transferred right;

(3) transfer fee;

(4) date and means of payment of the transfer fee;

(5) liability for breach of contract; and

(6) other contents that both parties deem necessary to be agreed upon.

Article 28  Where property rights under a copyright are pledged, both the pledger and the pledgee shall undergo pledge registration in accordance with the law.

Article 29  Without the consent of the copyright owner, the other party may not exercise any right that the copyright owner has not explicitly licensed or transferred in the licensing and transfer contract.

Article 30  The remuneration standards for the use of a work may be agreed upon by the parties and may also be paid in accordance with the standards fixed by the competent department of copyright of the State in conjunction with the relevant departments. Where the agreement between the parties is unclear, the remuneration shall be paid in accordance with the standards fixed by the competent department of copyright of the State in conjunction with the relevant departments.

Article 31  Publishers, performers, producers of sound and video recordings, radio stations, television stations and other entities that use works of others in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Law may not infringe upon the rights of authorship, alteration,  and integrity, and the right to remuneration of the authors.

Chapter IV 

Copyright-related Rights

Section 1

Publication of Books, Newspapers and Periodicals

Article 32  To publish a book, the book publisher shall conclude a publishing contract with and pay remuneration to the copyright owner.

Article 33  With respect to a work delivered to a book publisher by the copyright owner for publication, the exclusive right to publish the work enjoyed by the book publisher as stipulated in the contract shall be protected by law, and the work may not be published by others.

Article 34  A copyright owner shall deliver the work within the term stipulated in the contract. A book publisher shall publish the work in compliance with the publication quality and time limit as stipulated in the contract.

A book publisher that fails to publish the work within the time limit as stipulated in the contract shall bear civil liability according to the provisions of Article 61 of this Law.

Where a book publisher reprints or republishes a work, it shall notify and pay remuneration to the copyright owner. Where the publisher refuses to reprint or republish the work after the stock of books is exhausted, the copyright owner has the right to terminate the contract.

Article 35  Where a copyright owner has submitted the manuscript of his work to a newspaper or periodical publisher for publication and has not received any notification of the said newspaper's or publisher's decision to publish the work within 15 days from the newspaper or within 30 days from the periodical publisher, counted from the date of submission of the manuscript, the copyright owner may submit the manuscript of the same work to another newspaper or periodical publisher for publication, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

Except where the copyright owner declares that no reprinting or excerpting of his work is permitted, other newspaper or periodical publishers may, after the work is published by a newspaper or periodical publisher, reprint the work or print an abstract of it or print it as reference material, but shall pay remuneration to the copyright owner according to the provisions.

Article 36  A book publisher may, with the permission of the author, modify or abridge the work.

A newspaper or periodical publisher may make editorial modifications and abridgments in the language of a work. Any modification in the contents of the work shall be subject to permission of the author.

Article 37  A publisher shall be entitled to license others to use or prohibit others from using the format design of a book or periodical it has published.

The term of protection for the right specified in the preceding paragraph shall be ten years, expiring on December 31 of the tenth year after the first publication of the book or periodical in which the format design is used.

Section 2

Performance

Article 38  A performer who uses, for a performance, a work created by another shall obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owner. Where a performance organizer organizes a performance, the organizer shall obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owner.

Article 39  A performer shall, in respect of his performance, enjoy the following rights:

(1) to claim performership;

(2) to protect his performance image from distortion;

(3) to permit others to make live broadcasts or to publicly transmit his live performance, and receive remuneration therefor;

(4) to permit others to make sound and video recordings, and receive remuneration therefor;

(5) to permit others to reproduce, distribute and lease the sound and video recordings of his performance, and receive remuneration therefor; and

(6) to permit others make his performance available to the public through information network, and receive remuneration therefor.

A licensee that is permitted to use a work in the manner provided in Subparagraphs (3) to (6) of the preceding paragraph shall, in addition, obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owner.

Article 40  A performance by a performer for the purpose of accomplishing the tasks assigned by his performing entity is a performance for hire, in which the performer shall enjoy the rights to claim performership and to protect his performance image from distortion, and the ownership of other rights shall be agreed upon by the parties. Where the parties have not reached an agreement or the agreement is unclear, the right to  performance for hire shall be enjoyed by the performing entity.

Where the right to performance for hire is enjoyed by performers, the performing entity may use the performance free of charge within the scope of its business.

Article 41  The term of protection for the rights provided in Subparagraphs (1) and (2) of the first paragraph of Article 39 of this Law shall not be limited.

The term of protection for the rights provided in Subparagraphs (3) to (6) of the first paragraph of Article 39 of this Law shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the performance takes place.

Section 3

Sound Recording and Video Recording

Article 42  A producer of sound recordings or video recordings that uses, for making a sound recording or video recording, a work created by another shall obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owner.

A producer of sound recordings that uses, for making a sound recording, a musical work which has been lawfully recorded as a sound recording by another, may do so without obtaining permission from the copyright owner, but shall pay remuneration to the copyright owner according to the provisions; such a work shall not be used where the copyright owner declares that such use is not permitted.

Article 43  When making a sound recording or video recording of a performance, the producer shall conclude a contract with and pay remuneration to the performer.

Article 44  The producer of sound recordings or video recordings shall enjoy the right to permit others to reproduce, distribute or lease the sound recordings or video recordings and disseminate them to the public through information network and to receive remuneration therefor. The term of protection for such right shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the completion of the recording for the first time.

A licensee that reproduces, distributes, and disseminates sound recordings or video recordings to the public through information network shall obtain permission from and pay remuneration to both the copyright owner and the performer; a licensee that leases sound recordings or video recordings shall also obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to the performer.

Article 45  Where sound recordings are disseminated through wired or wireless means, or broadcast to the public through technical equipment for transmitting sound, remuneration shall be paid to the sound recording producer.

Section 4

Broadcasting by a Radio Station or Television Station

Article 46  A radio station or television station that broadcasts an unpublished work created by others shall obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owners.

A radio station or television station that broadcasts a published work created by others do not need to obtain permission from the copyright owners, but shall pay remuneration to the copyright owners according to the provisions.

Article 47  A radio station and television station shall have the right to prohibit the following acts performed without its permission:

(1) rebroadcasting the radio or television programs broadcast by it by wire or by wireless means;

(2) recording and reproducing the radio or television programs broadcast by it; and

(3) disseminating the radio or television programs broadcast by it to the public through information network.

The exercise of the rights prescribed in the preceding paragraph by a radio station and television station shall not affect, restrict or prejudice others' exercise of copyright or copyright-related rights.

The term of protection for the rights prescribed in the first paragraph of this Article shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the broadcasting of a radio or television program for the first time.

Article 48  A television station that broadcasts audiovisual works or video recordings produced by others shall obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owners of the audiovisual works or the video producers; in the case of broadcasting video recordings produced by others, the television station shall also obtain permission from and pay remuneration to the copyright owners.

Chapter V

Protection of Copyright and Copyright-related Rights

Article 49  In order to protect copyright and copyright-related rights, the right owner may take technical measures.

Without permission of the right owner, no organization or individual shall intentionally circumvent or destroy the technological measures, or manufacture, import or provide the relevant devices or components to the public for the purpose of circumventing or destroying the technological measures, or intentionally provide technical services for others to circumvent or destroy the technological measures, except for the circumstances under which such circumvention is permitted by laws or administrative regulations.

For the purposes of this Law, the term "technological measures" refers to the effective technologies, devices, or components that are used to prevent or restrict the viewing or appreciation of works, performances, sound and video recordings, or the provision of works, performances, sound and video recordings to the public through information network without the permission of the right owners.

Article 50  Technological measures may be circumvented under the following circumstances, provided that technologies, devices or components used to circumvent technological measures are not provided to others, and that other rights enjoyed by the right owners in accordance with the law are not infringed:

(1) providing a small amount of published works to teachers or scientific researchers for use in classroom teaching or scientific research, in the case that such works are not accessible through normal channels;

(2) providing, not for profit, published works to dyslexics in a barrier-free way through which they can perceive, in the case that such works are not accessible through normal channels;

(3) fulfillment of official duties by a State organ in accordance with the administrative, supervisory and judicial procedures;

(4) testing the security performance of computers and their systems or networks; and

(5) conducting encryption research or research on reverse engineering of computer software.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply to restrictions on copyright-related rights.

Article 51  The following acts shall not be carried out without permission of the right owner:

(1) intentionally deleting or altering the rights management information on works, format designs, performances, sound or video recordings, or radio or television programs, except for those which cannot be avoided due to technical reasons; and

(2) making available to the public works, format designs, performances, sound or video recordings, or radio or television programs when the provider knows or should know that the rights management information attached thereto has been deleted or altered without permission.

Article 52  Anyone who commits any of the following infringing acts shall, depending on the circumstances, bear civil liability such as ceasing the infringement, eliminating the effects of the act, making an apology or paying compensation for loss:

(1) publishing a work without permission of the copyright owner;

(2) publishing a work of joint authorship as a work created solely by oneself, without permission of the other co-authors;

(3) having one's name mentioned in another's work, without participating in the creation of the work in order to seek personal fame and gain;

(4) distorting or tampering with works of others;

(5) plagiarizing works of others;

(6) using a work by means of exhibition or production of an audiovisual work, or by means of adaptation, translation, annotation or similar means without permission of the copyright owner, unless otherwise provided in this Law;

(7) using a work of another without paying remuneration as one should;

(8) leasing an audiovisual work, computer software, or the original or a copy of a sound or video recording, without permission of the copyright owner, the performer or the producer of the recording, unless otherwise provided in this Law;

(9) using the format design of a published book or periodical, without permission of the publisher;

(10) live broadcasting, publicly transmitting or recording a performance, without permission of the performer; or

(11) committing other acts infringing upon the copyright and the copyright-related rights.

Article 53  Anyone who commits any of the following infringing acts shall, depending on the circumstances, bear civil liability prescribed in Article 52 of this Law; where public rights and interests are concurrently impaired by the infringement, the competent department of copyright shall order the infringer to stop infringement, give him a warning, confiscate his unlawful gains, and confiscate and harmlessly destroy the infringing copies and the materials, tools and instruments mainly used to produce the infringing copies, and may, where the illegal turnover exceeds 50,000 yuan, concurrently impose a fine of not less than one time but not more than five times the illegal turnover; where there is no illegal turnover or the illegal turnover is difficult to calculate or is less than 50,000 yuan, a fine of not more than 250,000 yuan may be imposed concurrently; where a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:

(1) without permission of the copyright owner, reproducing, distributing, performing,  projecting, broadcasting, compiling a work or disseminating a work to the public through information network, unless otherwise provided in this Law;

(2) publishing a book whose exclusive right of publication is enjoyed by another;

(3) without permission of the performer, reproducing or distributing sound or video recordings of his performance, or making the performance available to the public through information network, unless otherwise provided in this Law;

(4) without permission of the producer, reproducing, distributing, disseminating sound or video recordings produced by him to the public through information network, unless otherwise provided in this Law;

(5) without permission, broadcasting, reproducing or disseminating radio or television programs to the public through information network, unless otherwise provided in this Law;

(6) without permission of the copyright owner or copyright-related right owner, intentionally circumventing or destroying the technological measures, intentionally manufacturing, importing or providing to others the devices or components mainly used for the purpose of circumventing or destroying the technological measures, or intentionally providing technical services to others to circumvent or destroy the technological measures, unless otherwise provided in laws or administrative regulations;

(7) without permission of the copyright owner or copyright-related right owner, intentionally deleting or altering the rights management information on works, format designs, performances, sound or video recordings, or radio or television programs, or disseminating to the public the works, format designs, performances, sound or video recordings, or radio or television programs when the provider knows or should know that the rights management information has been deleted or altered, unless otherwise provided in laws or administrative regulations; or

(8) producing or selling a work the authorship of which is counterfeited.

Article 54  In case of infringement upon the copyright or the copyright-related rights, the infringer shall make compensation on the basis of the actual loss suffered by the right owner or based on the illegal gains of the infringer; where the actual loss of the right owner or the illegal gains of the infringer are difficult to be calculated, compensation may be made by reference to the amount of royalties for that right. In case of intentional infringement upon the copyright or the copyright-related rights, if the circumstances are serious, compensation may be made not less than one time but not more than five times the amount determined according to the abovementioned methods.

Where the actual loss of the right owner, the illegal gains of the infringer or the royalties are difficult to be calculated, the people's court shall, in light of the circumstances of the infringement, decide on a compensation not less than 500 yuan but not more than 5,000,000 yuan.

The amount of compensation shall also include the reasonable expenses paid by the right owner for stopping infringement.

Where the right owner has met the necessary burden of proof in order to determine the amount of compensation, the people's court may order the infringer to provide the account books and materials related to the infringing act in the case that the account books and materials are mainly in the control of the infringer; if the infringer refuses to provide or provides the false account books and materials, the people's court may determine the amount of compensation by reference to the claims and evidence provided by the right owner.

When trying a case concerning a copyright dispute, the people's court shall, at the request of the right owner, order the destruction of the infringing copies, except in special circumstances; order the destruction of the material, tools and instruments mainly used to produce infringing copies without compensation; or in special circumstances, the prohibition of the aforesaid material, tools and instruments, among others, from entering commercial channels without compensation.

Article 55  When investigating and dealing with the acts suspected of infringing upon copyright and copyright-related rights, the competent department of copyright may question the parties and investigate the circumstances related to the suspected illegal acts; conduct on-site inspections of the premises and articles involved in the suspected illegal acts; consult and duplicate contracts, invoices, account books and other materials related to the suspected illegal acts; and seal up or seize the premises and articles involved in the suspected illegal acts.

When the competent department of copyright exercises the functions and powers prescribed in the preceding paragraph in accordance with the law, the parties shall assist and cooperate, and shall not refuse or obstruct the exercise of such functions and powers.

Article 56  Where a copyright owner or a copyright-related right owner has evidence to prove that another person is committing, or is about to commit, an infringement upon his rights or an act hindering the realization of his rights, and failure to stop such acts in a timely manner will cause irreparable damage to his legitimate rights and interests, he may, before bringing a lawsuit, apply to a people's court in accordance with the law for taking such measures as preserving property, ordering performance of a specific act, or prohibiting a specific act.

Article 57  In order to prevent infringement, a copyright owner or a copyright-related right owner may, before bringing a lawsuit, apply to a people's court in accordance with the law for evidence preservation, where the evidence may be destroyed or lost or is difficult to be obtained later.

Article 58  When trying a case concerning the infringement upon copyright or the copyright-related rights, the people's court may confiscate the illegal gains, the infringing copies and money and property used for illegal activities.

Article 59  Where a publisher or producer of copies fails to prove that its publication or production is legally authorized, or a distributor of reproductions or a lessor of copies of an audiovisual work, computer software, sound recording or video recording fails to prove the legal source of the copies for distribution or lease, it shall bear legal liability.

During the litigation process, where the defendant-infringer claims that he is not liable for the infringement, he shall present evidence to prove that he has obtained the permission of the right owner, or that he falls under the circumstances under which use is allowed without permission of the right owner as provided in this Law.

Article 60  A copyright dispute may be settled through mediation, or be submitted to an arbitration institution for arbitration under a written arbitration agreement between the parties or under the arbitration clause in the copyright contract.

Where there is neither a written arbitration agreement between the parties nor an arbitration clause in the copyright contract, that parties may directly bring a lawsuit in a people's court.

Article 61  The provisions of the relevant laws shall apply where the parties bear civil liability for failure to perform contractual obligations or failure to perform contractual obligations in conformity with the agreement, and where the parties exercise their litigation rights or apply for preservation, etc.

Chapter VI

Supplementary Provisions

Article 62  The term "copyright" as mentioned in this Law shall have the same meaning as "author's right".

Article 63  The term "publication" as mentioned in Article 2 of this Law means reproduction and distribution of works.

Article 64  Measures for the protection of computer software and the right of communication through information network shall be formulated separately by the State Council.

Article 65   Where the protection period for photographic works, right of publication, and rights prescribed in Subparagraphs (5) to (17) of the first paragraph of Article 10 has expired before June 1, 2021, but they are still within the protection period according to the first paragraph of Article 23 of this Law, they shall no longer be protected.

Article 66  The rights of copyright owners, publishers, performers, producers of sound recordings and video recordings, radio stations and television stations as provided in this Law of which the term of protection specified in this Law has not yet expired on the date this Law goes into effect, shall be protected in accordance with this Law.

Any act of infringement or breach of contract committed prior to the implementation of this Law shall be dealt with according to the relevant provisions in force at the time when such an act of infringement or breach of contract was committed.

Article 67  This Law shall go into effect on June 1, 1991.