CHINA UNIFORMLAW NET

      REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE  COPYRIGHT  LAW

  OF  THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

    (Promulgated by the State Cuncil of   the People's Republic of China, May 30, 1991)

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1

     The present Regulations are formulated according to the Article 54 of

the Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter  referred

to as the Copyright Law).

Article 2

     The term "works"  used  in  the  Copyright  Law  refers  to  original

intellectual creations in the literary, artistic and scientific domain, in

so far as they are capable of being reproduced in a certain tangible form.

Article 3

     The  term  "creation"  mentioned  in  the  Copyright  Law  refers  to

intellectual activities from which literary, artistic and scientific works

are directly resulted.

     The making of arrangement and the provision of consultation, material

means or supporting service, done for others in their creating activities,

shall not be deemed as acts of creating.

Article 4

      These  works  mentioned  in  the  Copyright  Law  and  the   present

Regulations mean the following:

     (1) Written works are works expressed in  writing,  such  as  novels,

poems, essays and thesis;

     (2) Oral works are works, such as unprepared speeches,  lectures  and

court debates, which are created in spoken words and have not  been  fixed

on any material carrier;

     (3) Musical works are works,  with  or  without  accompanying  words,

which can be sung or performed, such as symphony and songs;

     (4) Dramatic works are works, such as dramas, operas  and  local  art

forms, which are created for stage performance;

     (5) Qu Yi works are works created mainly for being performed in a way

involving recitation, singing, or both, such as cross talk, clapper   talk,

ballad singing and story telling;

     (6) Choreographic works are works which are or can  be  expressed  in

successive body movements, gestures and facial movements;

     (7) Works of fine art are two-or three-dimensional works  created  in

lines, colours or other medium which, when being viewed, impart  aesthetic

effect, such as paintings, works of calligraphy, sculptures and  works  of

architecture;

     (8) Photographic works are the kind  of   artistic  works  created  by

recording images on light-sensitive materials with the aid of devices;

     (9) Cinematographic, television  and  videographic  works  are  works

which, being recorded on some material, consist of a series of  frames  of

images, with or without accompanying sound, and can be projected with   the

aid of devices suitable in relation to a specific works;

     (10) Drawings of engineering designs  and   product  designs  and  the

accompanying descriptions are drawings made  for  the  purpose  of  actual

construction and manufacturing and descriptive works contained in the said

design drawings;

      (11)  Maps,  diagrams  and  other  graphic  works  refer  to  two-or

three-dimensional works showing geographical phenomenon and  demonstrating

the fundamental or the  structure   of  a  thing  or  an  object,  such  as

geographical maps, plan of electrical circuit or an anatomical drawings.

Article 5

     The exploitation referred to in the present Law in relation to  works

shall mean the doing of the following acts:

     (1) Reproduction is the making of if one or more copies of a work  by

means   like    printing,   photocopying,   copying    by   hand,   rubbing,

audio-recording, video-recording, re- recording or photographing;

     (2) Performance is the public presentation of a  work  through  vocal

sound, facial movements and body movements, directly or with  the  aid  of

technical devices;

     (3) Broadcasting is the communication of works through wireless radio

waves and cable television system;

     (4) Exhibition is the  public  display  of  works  of  fine  art  and

photography, whether their original copies or reproductions;

     (5) Distribution is the provision of copies of a work to  the  public

by means such as sale and rental, in  so  far  as  the  number  of  copies

satisfy the reasonable need of the public;

     (6) Publication is the public distribution of copies  of  the  edited

version of a work;

     (7) Making of cinematographic, television and video works  means  the

fixation for the first time of a  work  on  some  materials  by  means  of

cinematographic production or analogous process. This subsection shall not

apply to the  mere  mechanical  recording  of  performance  or  scenes  or

material objects;

     (8) Adaptation is the creation of new original works on the basis  of

pre-existing ones by changing their original form  of  expression  or  the

purposes they are originally designed to serve;

     (9) Translation is the conversion of the  language  of  a  work  into

another langu age;

     (10) A notation is the explanation of characters, words and sentences

used ina

 literary work;

     (11) Compilation is the creation of a work by assembling a number  of

selected pre-existing works,  in  whole  or  in  parts,  according  to  an

arrangement designed for a specific purpose;

     (12) Sorting-out  is  the  rearrangement   of  pre-existing  works  or

materials  by  changing  their  former  state  of  being  fragmented   and

poorly-ordered into a one of being systematic and  orderly,  such  as  the

glossing and repairing of ancient classics.

Article 6

     As used in the Law, the terms listed below shall mean the following:

     (1) News of current events refers to the  mere  report  of  facts  or

happenings conveyed by newspapers, periodicals and  radio  and  television

stations;

     (2) Sound recordings  refers  to  the  original  recordation  of  any

sounds;

     (3) Video recordings refers to the original recordation of  a  series

of related  images,  with  or  without  accompanying   sounds,  other  than

cinematographic and television and videographic works;

      (4)  Radio  and  television  broadcasts  refer  to   the    programme

communicated by radio or television station by means of diffusing  signals

carrying sound or images or both;

     (5) Producer of sound recordings refers to a person who  makes  sound

recordings ;

     (6) Producer of video recordings refers to a person who  makes  video

recordings;

     (7) Performer refers to persons who  perform   literary  and  artistic

works professionally or not professionally.

    【】  Chapter II Copyright Administrative Authorities

Article 7

The national Copyright Administration, being an administrative  department

for copyright matters under the State  Council,  is  responsible  for  the

nation-wide work of administration of copyright by mainly carrying out the

following functions:

     (1) To  implement  copyright-related  laws  and  regulations  and  to

promulgate rules in relation to copyright administration;

     (2) To investigate and redress cases  of   infringement  of  copyright

that are of nation-wide influence;

     (3) To approve the formation of and to  supervise  the  operation  of

collective administration of copyright, copyright agent  business  dealing

with cross-border transactions and arbitrations scheme for disputes  arose

in relation to copyright contracts;

     (4) To undertake administration as far as external copyright relation

is conce rned;

     (5) To administer copyright of which the State is the owner;

     (6) To provide guidance for local copyright  authorities  with  their

performance

 of administrative functions;

     (7) To carry out other  duties  assigned  by  the  State  Council  in

relation to copyright administration.

Article 8

     The copyright department under the local governments are  responsible

for copyright administration within their respective  jurisdiction,  whose

duties shall be determined by the government of  each  of  the  provinces,

autonomous  regions  and  municipalities   directly   under   the    central

government.

    【】  Chapter III Ownership and Exercise of Copyright

    【】  Section 1. Ownership of Copyright

Article 9

     Unless the Law provided otherwise, copyright shall belong to citizens

who have created works and the legal and non-legal entities who are deemed

authors by virtue of the Law.

     The conditions laid down by the General Principles of the  Civil  Law

of the People's Republic of China must be satisfied to be a legal  entity.

Social institutions and economic organizations, by not being able to  meet

the conditions to  be  legal  entities,  and  the  relatively  independent

departments forming a legal entity are non-legal entities for the   purpose

of the Law.

Article 10

     Persons who have glossed or sorted-out pre-existing works shall enjoy

the copyright in the works thus  created,  in  so  far  as  they  are  not

entitled to copyright in the works they used and do not have the right   to

prohibit the glossing or sorting-out done by other person in  relation  to

the same pre-existing work.

Article 11

     Where joint authors failed to reach an agreement on the  exercise  of

copyright in a work of joint authorship which can not be  used  piecemeal,

any party may not unreasonably prohibit the exercise by others of the said

copyright.

Article 12

      In  the  case  of  works  of  compilation,  being  in  the  form  of

encyclopaedias, dictionaries, text books or photo books of large size,   as

the case may be, copyright in the work as a whole shall  belong  to  legal

entities or  non-legal entities who have  arranged  manpower  or  provided

financial  aid  and  material  means  for  their  creation  and  bear  the

responsibility in relation to the said work.

Article 13

     Permission to make necessary alteration shall be  implied  where  the

copyright owner has authorized the making cinematographic,  television  or

videographic work based on his or her work, in so far as  such  alteration

does not distort or mutilate the original work.

Article 14

     Where copyright in a work created within the  fulfillment  of  duties

belongs to the author, the author may ask  his  institution   to  permit  a

third party to use the work in the same manner as  the  institution   might

have done. if the institution does not use the work in the course  of  its

business within 2 years after the creation of the work.

     Within 2 years after the creation of the work, the author  may,  with

the permission of the institution, permit a third party to use the work in

the manner as the institution may have done. Remunerations  thus  obtained

shall be divided between them according to agreed proportion.

     Even after the expiry of  the  said  2  years,  the  institution  may

continue with use of the work in the course of its business.

     The aforementioned 2 years period after  the  creation  of  the  work

shall be calculated from the date on which the work concerned is submitted

to the institution.

Article 15

     Material and technical conditions mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article

16 (1) of the Law  shall  mean  fund,  equipments  or  materials  provided

expressly for the creation of a work.

Article 16

     In the case of a work of unknown author, the  copyright,  except  the

right of indication of authorship, shall be exercised by the lawful holder

of the original copy of the work. With the restoration of authorship,   the

copyright shall be exercised by the author or his heir in title.

Article 17

     Article 18 of the Law, which says that transfer of ownership  of  the

original copy of a work of fine art shall not be  deemed  as  transfer  of

copyright in the work,  is   applicable  to  all  works  the  ownership  of

original copy of which can be transferred.

    【】  Section 2. Inheritance of Copyright

Article 18

Inheritance of economic rights contained in copyright shall be executed in

accordance with the Law of Inheritance.

Article 19

     In the case where one of the co-authors of a work of joint authorship

dies without having heir in  title  or  other  beneficiary,   the  economic

rights he enjoyed in relation to his contribution to  the  work  shall  be

exercised by the other co-authors.

Article 20

     Right of indication of authorship, right of  revision  and  right  of

integrity contained in copyright shall, after the death of the author,  be

protected by the heir in title and  other  person  to  whom  the  economic

rights are granted.

     In the absence of heir  in  title  or  other  beneficiary,   right  of

indication of  authorship,   right  of  revision  and  right  of  integrity

contained in copyright shall be protected by the copyright  administrative

authority.

Article 21

     Copyright enjoyed by the State shall be  enforced  by  the  copyright

administrative authority on behalf of the State.

Article 22

     In the case of posthumous works,  the  right  of  disclosure  may  be

exercised by the author's heir in title or other beneficiary for a  period

of 50 years, unless a prior statement by the author says expressly to   the

contrary. In the absence of heir in title or other beneficiary,  the  said

right shall be exercised by the lawful holder of the original copy of   the

work.

    【】  Section 3.  Coming into existence of copyright and Calculation  of the of Protection

Article 23

     Copyright protected under this Law shall emerge on the  date  when  a

work is created.

Article 24

     In the case of a work of unknown author, the term  of  protection  in

relation to economic rights shall be 50 years ending on December 31 of the

fiftieth year after the first publication of the work. Article 21  of  the

Law shall be applicable after authorship of the work becomes  ascertained.

Article 25

     In the case of works by foreign authors that have first published  in

China, the term of protection shall be calculated from the date  of  first

publication of the work.

     The first publication in  China  mentioned  in  the  paragraph  2  of

Article 2 of the Law in relation to  works  of  foreigners  refer  to  the

situation where unpublished works of foreigners have  been  published  for

the first time in China by lawful means.

     Works of foreigners first published outside  China  shall  be  deemed

first published in China if it is published in China within 30 days  after

its first publication.

     Unpublished works of foreigners shall also be deemed first  published

in China  if  their  authorized  adaptations  or  translations  are  first

published in China.

    【】  Section 4. Limitations on Rights

Article 26

     As used in the Law, a published work refers to a work which has  been

made known to the public by means stipulated in the Law.

Article 27

     The following conditions have to be satisfied for an act to be deemed

appropriate quotation of published works by act to be  deemed  appropriate

quotation of published works by others mentioned in Article 22 (2) of   the

Law:

     (1) The quotation is made solely for the purpose  of  introducing  or

reviewing the source works or making clear a point;

     (2) What has been quoted does not form a major or substantial part of

the work of the quoter;

     (3) The interests of the copyright owner of  the  work  being  quoted

shall not be prejudiced.

Article 28

     Article 22  (3)  of  the  Law  refers  to  unavoidable  inclusion  of

published works as is  justified   by  the  purpose  of  reporting  current

events.

Article 29

     Making use of published works of other persons by virtue  of  Article

22 (6) and (7) shall  not   harm  the  normal  exploitation  of  the  works

concerned and shall not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of

the copyright owners.

Article 30

     In the case of performance of published  works  as  is  permitted  by

Article 22 (9) of the Law, no fees shall be charged on viewing or  hearing

audience and no remuneration shall be paid to the performers.

Article 31

     Article 22 (11)  of  the  Law  shall  be  applicable  only  to  works

originally created in Chinese.

    【】  Chapter IV Copyright Licencing Contracts

Article 32

     It is a requirement that contracts with copyright owners and  licence

obtained for using their works be made in writing, except the cases  where

works are to be published by newspaper and periodicals.

Article 33

     In default of a clear indication in a contract  in  relation  to  the

grant of exclusive right to use, only non-exclusive right to  use  by  the

licensee shall be implied, unless the Law stipulated otherwise.

Article 34

     The provision  of  standard  forms  of  various  copyright  licencing

contracts  shall  be  the  responsibility  of   the   National    Copyright

Administration.

Article 35

     The person who has obtained exclusive right in relation to the use in

a certain way of a work shall have the right to prevent any  other  person

including the copyright owner as licensor from using the work in the same

way. However, the sublicencing of the same right to a third party shall be

subject to permission by  the  copyright  owner,  unless  the  contracting

parties agreed otherwise.

    【】  Chapter V Exercise of and Limitations on Rights Related  to  Copy- right

Article 36

     As is used in the Law and the Regulation, rights related to copyright

mean the right enjoyed by publishers  in  their  publications,  the  right

enjoying by  performers  in  their  performances,  the  right  enjoyed  by

producers of audio and video recordings in their products  and  the  right

enjoyed by radio and television stations in their broadcasts.

Article 37

     Publishers, performers, producers of audio and video  recordings  and

radio and television stations, in the course of exercising  their  rights,

shall not prejudice copyrights their owners enjoyed  in  the  works  being

used.

Article 38

      Publishers  shall  enjoy  exclusive    right   of   exploitation    in

typographical design of the books, newspapers and  periodicals  they  have

published.

Article 39

     By virtue of Article  30  of  the  Law,  legal  protection  shall  be

available for the exclusive right a publisher obtained to publish,  within

the term of validity of and the territory  of  execution  defined  by  the

contract, a work in its original language and  in  the  form  of  original

edition, revised version or condensed version.

Article 40

     In the case where manuscripts was submitted to  a  publisher  on  the

author's own initiative, the publisher shall, within 6 months, notify   the

author whether he will publish the work or not. In the case of acceptance,

a contract shall be made; in the case of refusal,  notification  shall  be

sent to the author in a timely manner. In the case where  no  notification

is served and no contract is made, the author may, upon expiry of the said

6  months,  demand  that  the  manuscripts  be   returned    and   economic

compensation be made. The said 6 months shall be calculated from the   date

of receipt by the publisher of the manuscripts.

Article 41

     Articles 29, 30, 31 and 33 of the Law shall not be applicable to  the

case where the cost of publication of  a  work  is  born  by  the  author.

Article 42

     The state of being out of print in relation to a  work  mentioned  in

Article 31 of the Law shall be established if a period of 6  months  after

two subscription forms were mailed by the author to the publisher  expires

without action being taken to satisfy the subscription.

Article 43

     To object to the reprinting of his or her work in whole or in part by

virtue of paragraph 2 of Article 32 of the Law,  the  copyright  owner  is

required to make a statement to that effect at the same time when the work

is first published in a newspaper or a periodical.

Article 44

     No time limit shall be set on the term of protection in  relation  to

the rights provided for in Article 36 (1) and (2) of the Law.

     In the case of the term of protection in relation  to  the  right  of

remuneration the performers enjoyed by virtue of paragraph 2 of Article 39

and paragraph 3 of Article 42 of the Law, paragraph 1 of  Article  39  and

paragraph 2 of Article 42 of the Law shall apply.

Article 45

     With reference to Article 35 of the Law, payment of  remuneration  by

performers to copyright owner shall be done through  the  person  who  has

organized the performance in question.

Article 46

     Performance by foreign performers taking  place  in  China  shall  be

protected by the Law.

Article 47

     Audio and video recordings  produced  and  distributed  in  China  by

foreign producers shall be protected by the Law.

Article 48

     To object to the performance, recording or making broadcasts  of  his

or her work by virtue of paragraph 2 of Article 35, paragraph 1 of Article

37 and paragraph 2 of Article 40  of  the  Law,  the  copyright  owner  is

required to make a statement to that effect at the same time when  his  or

her work is published, or have the statement carried in copyright bulletin

issued by the National Copyright Administration.

Article 49

     To use published works of other persons by virtue of paragraph  2  of

Article 32, paragraph 2 of Article 35,  paragraph  1  of  Article  37  and

paragraph 2 of Article 40  of   the  Law,  the  user  is  required  to  pay

remuneration to the copyright owner.  In  the  case  where  the  copyright

owner is not identifiable or the address of the  copyright  owner  is  not

available,  the  remuneration  payable  shall  be  remitted  to  the  body

designated by the National Copyright Administration for  further  transfer

to the due copyright owner within 1 month.

    【】  Chapter VI Administrative Sanctions

Article 50

     Infringements against copyright enumerated in Article 46 of  the  Law

shall be liable to the administrative sanctions to be imposed by copyright

administrative authority in the form  of  public  warning,  injunction  in

relation  to  the  production  and  distribution   of  infringing   copies,

confiscation of unlawful  gains   and  seizure  of  infringing  copies  and

equipments used for making infringing copies, as well as fine.

Article 51

     The amount of the  fine  to  be  imposed  for  infringements  against

copyright enumerated in Article 46 of the  Law  shall  be  the  following,

depending on situation of each of the cases:

     (1) Infringing act given by Article 46 (1) of the Law shall be liable

to a fine of from 100 to 5000 yuan in RMB;

     (2) Infringing acts given by Article 46 (2), (3), (4), (5),  and  (6)

of the Law shall be liable to a fine of 10000 to 100000 yuan in RMB, or an

amount of 2 to 5 times as much as  the  entire  price  of  the  infringing

copies;

     (3) Infringing act given by Article 46 (7) of the Law shall be liable

to a fine of from 1000 to 50000 yuan in RMB

Article 52

     Copyright administrative  authorities  under  the  local  governments

shall  be  empowered  to  redress  the  infringements  against    copyright

enumerated in Article 46 of the Law.

     The National Copyright Administration shall investigate  and  redress

the following infringements against copyright:

     (1) Infringements against copyright that are of nationwide influence;

      (2)  Infringements   against  copyright  where  a  foreign  party  is

involved;

     (3) Infringements against copyright that should be redressed  by  the

National Copyright Administration,  as  the  Administration  might  think.

Article 53

      In  exercising  its  right  of  imposing  administrative  sanctions,

copyright administrative authority may order the infringer  to  compensate

the loss the infringed party suffered.

    【】  Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Article 54

     Copyright owners may exercise their copyrights by way  of  collective

administration.

Article 55

     The interpretation of this Regulation shall be the responsibility  of

the National Copyright Administration.

Article 56

     This Implementing Regulation shall enter in force on June 1, 1991.