WIPO China: Copyright Empowers Culture to Go Global, Awareness Drives an Innovative Future

From June 15 to 17, 2026, the 2026 International Copyright Training on Overseas Risk Prevention and Control for Copyright Industries was held in Haikou, Hainan Province. The training was co-organized by the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Ms. Liu Hua, Director of WIPO Office in China (WOC); Mr. Wang Zhicheng, Director General of the Copyright Administration of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee; and Mr. Zhang Zhenming, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

Navigating Changing Times Through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration to Safeguard Copyright Going Global

In her opening address, Ms. Liu Hua noted that the current wave of global digital transformation and technological innovation is profoundly reshaping the intellectual property (IP) landscape. Under the confluence of digital technology and frontier science, the global IP ecosystem is undergoing a significant realignment, as evidenced by the impact of artificial intelligence on traditional rules, the continuous extension of operational value chains, and the accelerating convergence across various IP categories.

Ms. Liu noted that, in response to these trends, WIPO is optimizing its global IP service system by providing support to creators and innovators worldwide through five key pillars: policy engagement, global registration services, IP data platforms, cooperation platforms, and capacity building programs. She also pointed out that China's performance in the global innovation landscape has become increasingly prominent. Copyright works represented by "Ne Zha," "Black Myth: Wukong," and online literature have continued to gain international influence. China ranks among the top globally in PCT international patent applications and Hague design applications, and has long been a global leader in creative product exports. China has become an important engine for technological innovation and creative development in the world.

In the face of new challenges, Ms. Liu advised copyright professionals to further strengthen their risk awareness and make good use of international rules for forward-looking planning. She suggested that practitioners actively utilize WIPO's ADR service to properly handle cross-border copyright disputes; make good use of global service systems such as the Madrid and Hague systems to achieve efficient protection through "one application, multiple-country protection"; and actively participate in WIPO's capacity building programs and industry cooperation platforms to continuously enhance their compliance and risk management capabilities, so as to achieve steady and sustained growth in the global market.

Mr. Wang Zhicheng noted in his address that China's copyright industry has been developing rapidly, yet international trade disputes arising from IP are also occurring frequently. It is necessary to strengthen forward-looking planning, improve the international risk prevention and control system, and promote the establishment of a coordinated response mechanism involving multiple departments, levels, and sectors. He suggested that enterprises establish their own risk early warning mechanisms, and that industry associations and collective management organizations should play a greater role in coordinating industry disputes and protecting the rights and interests of both Chinese and foreign copyright holders. Meanwhile, efforts should be made to strengthen international communication capabilities and tell China's copyright stories well.

Mr.  Zhang Zhenming introduced the progress of copyright work in Hainan Free Trade Port since its full operation, including a record high in copyright registrations and progress in the protection of copyright in folklore. He noted that Hainan Free Trade Port, as a frontier of opening-up, will provide a practical platform for international risk prevention and control in the copyright industries.

Classroom Sessions: Covering Dispute Resolution, AI Challenges, and Industry Practices

During the training, experts including Mr. Lyu Guoqiang, Head of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Shanghai Service; Ms. Deng Yuhua, Counsellor of WOC; Mr. Zhang Hongbo, Executive Vice President of China Written Works Copyright Society; and Mr. Liu Xin, Director of the Department of IP Law at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, delivered lectures on topics including international IP dispute resolution, the evolution of international copyright systems and risk prevention and control, risk prevention and control in copyright trade, and international trends in copyright protection in the era of AI. Legal affairs directors from China Literature, Douyin Group, and Foxit Software shared their risk identification and response strategies in their respective sectors, drawing on their overseas practices in the cultural and creative industries, micro-dramas, and software.

Field Study: Deepening Practical Understanding in Real Business Settings

Participants also paid a visit to cultural and creative enterprises for on-site learning, where they gained first-hand knowledge of the actual processes and risk areas in copyright operations at the industry frontline, bridging classroom theories with practical experience.

Over 100 representatives from copyright administration departments, collective management organizations, industry associations, and sectors including audiovisual, gaming, and publishing attended the training. Participants noted that, against the backdrop of the accelerating global expansion of the cultural and creative industries, the training helped enhance practitioners' understanding of international copyright rules and their risk prevention and control capabilities, which will contribute positively to the sound development of China's copyright industries.