The release of the latest amendments to the PRC Copyright Law (中华人民共和国著作权法) has created debate in the past month. Musicians and producers criticised the changes for encouraging piracy and depriving copyright owners of revenue.
The National Copyright Administration (NCA) announced last week that it has received 1,560 comments so far, as reported in the China Daily. Most of them concern statutory licensing, collective management of copyright, network service provider obligations and compensation awards.
But in the face of mounting criticism, Ma Xiaogang of the China Copyright Association has strongly defended the proposed changes in an interview with China Law & Practice.
“It actually makes it easier and faster for original owners to popularise their songs and is in their interest,” he said. “The conflict is about the interests of recording companies who may lose the monopoly to use the songs after three months,” he added.
Read the full interview in China Law & Practice, a sister publication of Managing IP.