Chapter IV Publication, Performance, Sound Recording, Video Recording and Broadcasting

Section 1 Publication of Books, Newspapers and Periodicals

Article 29 A book publisher who intends to publish a book shall conclude a publishing contract with, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Article 30 The exclusive right enjoyed by the book publisher in accordance with the agreement in the contract to publish a work that the copyright owner delivered to him for publishing shall be protected by law, and the work may not be published by others.

Article 31 The copyright owner shall deliver the work within the term specified in the contract. The book publisher shall publish the work in compliance with the quality requirements and within the term as specified in the contract.

The book publisher who fails to publish the work within the term specified in the contract shall bear civil liabilities provided for in Article 53 of this Law.

When the book publisher reprints or republishes the work, it shall notify the copyright owner of the matter and pay remuneration to him. If the publisher refuses to reprint or republish the work when the stock of the book is exhausted, the copyright owner shall have the right to terminate the contract.

Article 32 Where a copyright owner has submitted the manuscript of his work to a newspaper or periodical publisher for publication and has not received, within 15 days from the newspaper or within 30 days from the periodical publisher, counted from the date of submission of the manuscript, any notification of the said newspaper's or publisher's decision to publish the work, the copyright owner may submit the manuscript of the same work to another newspaper or periodical publisher for publishing, unless the parties have agreed otherwise.

Except where the copyright owner declares that no reprinting or excerpting of his work is permitted, a newspaper or periodical publisher may, after the work is published by another newspaper or periodical publisher, reprint the work or print an abstract of it or print it as reference material, provided that remuneration is paid to the copyright owner in accordance with relevant regulations.

Article 33 A book publisher may, with the permission of the author, revise or abridge the work.

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

Article 34 When publishing a work created by adaptation, translation, annotation, arrangement or compilation of a preexisting work, the publisher shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the owner of the copyright in the work created by adaptation, translation, annotation, arrangement or compilation and the owner of the copyright in the preexisting work.

Article 35 A publisher shall have the right to permit another person to exploit, or prohibit such person from exploiting, the typographical design of the book or the periodical which he publishes.

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 the periodical in which the typographical design is used.

Section 2 Performance

Article 36 A performer (an individual performer or a performing group) who exploits, for a performance, a work created by another person shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner. Where a performance is organized by a person, the organizer shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Anyone who exploits, for a performance, a work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement of a preexisting work shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the owner of the copyright in the work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement and the owner of the copyright in the preexisting work.

Article 37 A performer shall, in respect of his performance, enjoy the following rights:

(1) to claim performership;

(2) to protect the image inherent in his performance from distortion;

(3) to authorize others' live broadcasting or communicating to the public of his performance, and receive remuneration therefrom;

(4) to authorize others' making of sound recordings and video recordings of his performance, and receive remuneration therefrom;

(5) to authorize others' reproduction and distribution of the sound recordings and video recordings of his performance, and receive remuneration therefrom; and

(6) to authorize others' making of his performance available to the public through information network, and receive remuneration therefrom.

A person who is authorized exploitation of a work in the manner provided for in Subparagraph (3) through Subparagraph (6) of the preceding paragraph shall, in addition, obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Article 38 No time limit shall be set on the term of protection for the rights provided for in Subparagraphs (1) and (2) of the first paragraph in Article 37 of this Law.

The term of protection for the rights provided for in Subparagraph (3) through Subparagraph (6) of the first paragraph in Article 37 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 39 A producer of sound recordings or video recordings who exploits, for making a sound recording or video recording, a work created by another person shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

A producer of sound recordings or video recordings who exploits a work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement of a preexisting work shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the owner of the copyright in the work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement and the owner of the copyright in the preexisting work.

A producer of sound recordings who exploits, for making a sound recording, a musical work of which a lawful sound recording has been made, may do without permission from the copyright owner, but shall, in accordance with regulations, pay remuneration to the copyright owner; no such work may be exploited where the copyright owner declares that exploitation is not permitted.

Article 40 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 41 The producer of a sound recording or video recording shall enjoy the right to authorize others' reproducing, distributing or renting the sound recording or video recording or making it available to the public through information network and to receive remuneration therefrom. The term of protection for such right shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the first completion of the recording.

Anyone who is authorized reproducing or distributing a sound recording or video recording or making it available to the public through information network shall, in addition, obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the copyright owner and the performer.

Section 4 Broadcasting by a Radio Station or Television Station

Article 42 A radio station or television station that broadcasts an unpublished work created by another person shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

A radio station or television station that broadcasts a published work created by another person may do without permission from, but shall pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Article 43 A radio station or television station that broadcasts a published sound recording may do without permission from, but shall pay remuneration to, the copyright owner, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Specific measures in this regard shall be formulated by the State Council.

Article 44 A radio station or television station shall have the right to prohibit the following acts performed without its permission:

(1) broadcasting its programs; and

(2) making a sound recording or video recording of its programs and reproducing such recording.

The term of protection for the right specified in the preceding paragraph shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the first broadcasting of a program.

Article 45 A television station that intends to broadcast a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, or a video recording produced by another person, shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the producer; in the case of a video recording, the television station shall, in addition, obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Chapter V Legal Liabilities and Enforcement Measures

Article 46 Anyone who commits any of the following acts of infringement shall, depending on the circumstances, bear civil liabilities such as ceasing the infringement, eliminating the bad effects of the act, making an apology or paying compensation for damages:

(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 person's work in the creation of which one has taken no part, in order to seek personal fame and gain;

(4) distorting or mutilating a work created by another person;

(5) plagiarizing a work created by another person;

(6) exploiting a work for exhibition or film-making or in a manner analogous to film-making, or for adaptation, translation, annotation, or for other purposes, without permission of the copyright owner, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(7) exploiting a work created by another person without paying remuneration as one should;

(8) renting a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, computer software, or products of sound recording or video recording, without permission of the copyright owner or the owner of the rights related to the copyright, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

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

(10) live broadcasting, communicating to the public, or recording a performance, without permission of the performer; or

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

Article 47 Anyone who commits any of the following acts of infringement shall, depending on the circumstances, bear civil liabilities such as ceasing the infringement, eliminating the bad effects of the act, making an apology or paying compensation for damages; where public rights and interests are impaired, the administrative department for copyright may order the person to discontinue the infringement, confiscate his unlawful gains, confiscate or destroy the copies produced through infringement, and may also impose a fine; where the circumstances are serious, the said department may, in addition, confiscate the material, tools and instruments mainly used to produce copies through infringement; and where a crime is constituted, criminal liabilities shall be investigated in accordance with law:

(1) reproducing, distributing, performing, presenting, broadcasting, compiling a work or making it available to the public through information network, without permission of the copyright owner, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(2) publishing a book the exclusive right of publication in which is enjoyed by another person;

(3) reproducing or distributing a sound recording or video recording of a performance, or making a performance available to the public through information network, without permission of the performer, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(4) reproducing or distributing a product of sound recording or video recording or making it available to the public through information network, without permission of the producer, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(5) rebroadcasting a radio or television program or reproducing such a program without permission, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(6) intentionally circumventing or sabotaging the technological measures adopted by a copyright owner or an owner of the rights related to the copyright to protect the copyright or the rights related to the copyright in the work or the products sound recording or video recording, without permission of the owner, except where otherwise provided for in laws or administrative regulations;

(7) intentionally removing or altering any electronic rights management information attached to a copy of a work, a product of sound recording or video recording, etc. without permission of the copyright owner or the owner of the rights related to the copyright, except where otherwise provided for in this Law; or

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

Article 48 Anyone who infringes upon the copyright or a right related to the copyright shall pay compensation for the actual losses suffered by the right owner, or where the actual losses are difficult to calculate, pay compensation to the amount of the unlawful gains of the infringer. The compensation shall include the reasonable expenses that the right owner has paid for putting a stop to the infringement.

Where the actual losses of the right owner or the unlawful gains of the infringer cannot be determined, the People's Court shall, in light of the circumstances of the infringement, decide on a compensation amounting to not more than 500,000 RMB yuan.

Article 49 Where a copyright owner or an owner of a right related to the copyright who can present evidence to prove that another person is committing, or is about to commit, an infringement upon his right, which, unless prevented promptly, is likely to cause irreparable harm to his legitimate rights and interests, he may, before taking legal proceedings, apply to a People's Court for measures to order discontinuation of the infringement and to preserve property.

When dealing with the application specified in the preceding paragraph, the People's Court shall apply the provisions in Article 93 through Article 96 and Article 99 of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China.

Article 50 In order to prevent infringement, a copyright owner or an owner of a right related to the copyright may, before taking legal proceedings, apply to a People's Court for preserving evidence, where the evidence is likely to be missing or is difficult to obtain later.

After accepting the application, the People's Court shall make a ruling within 48 hours. Where it rules to adopt preservation measures, it shall have the measures enforced immediately.

The People's Court may order the applicant to provide a guarantee, and shall reject the application where the applicant fails to do so.

Where the applicant fails to take legal proceedings within 15 days from the date the People's Court adopts the preservation measure, the People's Court shall terminate the measure.

Article 51 When trying a case where the copyright or a right related to it is infringed upon, the People's Court may rule to confiscate the unlawful gains, the products of infringement and money and things of value used for illegal activities.

Article 52 A publisher or a producer of reproductions who fails to prove that he is legally authorized publishing or producing of the reproductions, or a distributor of reproductions or a renter of reproductions of a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, computer software, sound recording or video recording who fails to prove the legal source of the reproductions that he distributes or rents, shall bear legal liabilities.

Article 53 Any party who fails to perform his contractual obligations, or performs them at variance with the agreed conditions in the contract, shall bear civil liabilities in accordance with the relevant provisions of the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People's Republic of China, the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China and other related laws.

Article 54 Any dispute over copyright may be settled through mediation, it may also be submitted to an arbitration body for arbitration under a written arbitration agreement between the parties or under the arbitration clause in the copyright contract.

Any party may take legal proceedings directly in a People's Court where there is neither a written arbitration agreement between the parties nor an arbitration clause in the contract.

Article 55 Any party that is not satisfied with an administrative penalty, may taking legal proceedings in a People's Court within three months from the date he receives the written decision on the penalty. Where the party neither takes legal proceedings nor implements the decision at the expiration of the time limit, the administrative department for copyright may apply to the People's Court for enforcement.

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

Article 56 The term zhuzuoquan (copyright) as used in this Law means banquan commonly used in the country.

Article 57 The term publish as used in Article 2 of this Law means reproducing and distributing of a work.

Article 58 Measures for the protection of computer software and of the right of communication through information network shall be formulated separately by the State Council.

Article 59 The rights of copyright owners, publishers, performers, producers of sound recordings and video recordings, radio stations and television stations, as provided for in this Law, shall, if the term of their protection specified in this Law has not yet expired on the date this Law goes into effect, be protected in accordance with this Law.

Any act of tort or breach of contract committed prior to the date this Law goes into effect shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant regulations or policies in force at the time when such act was committed.

Article 60 This Law shall go into effect on June 1, 1991.