The Impact of Copyright on the National Economy Should not be Underestimated

July 27, 2022

On July 22, Ms. Liu Hua, Director of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Office in China, attended the International Forum on the Development of China's Copyright Industry Cluster of the 3rd Jiangsu (Nanjing) Copyright Trade Fair and delivered a keynote speech online.

Ms. Liu said that innovation, creativity and intellectual property (IP) are the core forces for economic recovery and sustainable development in the post-pandemic era, and that copyright, as one of the three traditional pillars of IP, should not be underestimated for its impact on the national economy. She highlighted the latest WIPO 2021 report on the Economic Contribution of the Copyright Industries and pointed out that the contribution of the copyright industry to the GDP and employment of each economy is substantial, with an average share of 5.54% and 5.78% respectively. From a worldwide perspective, the performance of the copyright industry in developed economies such as the United States and South Korea occupies a leading position, while China's copyright industry performs equally well, breaking into the top five globally. In addition, there is also a strong and positive relationship between the copyright industry and other key development indicators, including the innovation capacity of an economy, its competitiveness, and the effectiveness of government institutions.

Ms. Liu noted that against the backdrop of centenary changes intertwined with COVID-19 pandemic, global innovation activities remain resilient. WIPO, as a United Nations agency for IP, is committed to making IP benefit everyone. She introduced WIPO as golden knowledge assets, providing five sets of golden keys which would help China's copyright industry go global, including policy platform, registration system, databases, cooperation platform and capacity building. In particular, she recommended the new IP Diagnostics tool launched by WIPO last November. Users only need to complete questionnaire questions on different topics online to get a one-stop customized IP protection, management and commercialization solution. Any innovators and entrepreneurs will benefit from the tool in bringing their ideas to market.

Ms. Liu lauded the outstanding performance of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises in the first WIPO Global Awards and considered it a microcosm of China's achievements in innovation and creation. Specifically in the copyright sector, Ms. Liu pointed out that China's copyright industry has become a new engine of China's innovation-driven development. In recent years, China has actively engaged in the formulation and implementation of global copyright rules, and has gradually transformed itself from a follower and runner to a leader. It is worth noting that copyright industry practices with local characteristics, such as industries of Nantong textiles, Dehua ceramics and Wujiang silk, have conveyed China's experience to the world. Looking ahead, China's copyright industry has full development potential and will continue to empower global copyright governance and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions.

Ms. Zhao Xiuling, Deputy Director General of the Copyright Department of the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee said in her speech that copyright, as an integral part of intellectual property, is a basic resource of culture and a core element of market competition, and is becoming increasingly important and significant in the process of economic and social development today. The forum was held at the right time for the current development of the copyright industry.  Continuously empowering economic development with the creation, utilization, protection, management and service of copyright will help further enhance the function of industrial clusters, stimulate innovation and creativity, and provide important support for high-quality development.

Mr. Liang Yong, Executive Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Director General of the Jiangsu Provincial Press and Publication Bureau (Copyright Bureau) said in his speech that the level of development of the copyright industry is an important indicator of a country's or region's ability to innovate. In recent years, Jiangsu has continued to achieve new results in promoting the development of the copyright industry. In 2020, the added value of the copyright industry in Jiangsu reached 886.2 billion yuan, accounting for 8.63% of the province's GDP, and the status of the copyright industry as a pillar industry of the province's national economy is increasingly consolidated. He mentioned that the fair showcased the copyright achievements, especially contributing to the promotion of WIPO Case Studies of Best Practice in Copyright Utilization and Protection, which is conducive to guiding the high-quality development of China's copyright industry clusters and telling the story of China's copyright protection.

The International Forum was guided by the National Copyright Administration, the Copyright Society of China, the Publicity Department of Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and the Jiangsu Provincial Copyright Bureau, hosted by the Copyright Society of Jiangsu Province, and organized by the School of Intellectual Property of Nanjing University of Science and Technology (NJUST) and the Copyright Research Center of Jiangsu Province. It was presided over by Professor Qi Yong, Executive Vice Dean of School of Intellectual Property of NJUST. Mr. Wu Handong, Former President of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law and Wenlan Senior Professor, and Mr. Tang Maoren, President of the Intellectual Property Court of Jiangsu Higher People's Court, presented their academic views on the development of copyright industry, copyright strategy and the application of China's intellectual property system. Representatives from Nantong textile industry, Dehua ceramics industry and Wujiang silk industry, the three best cases of WIPO Case Studies of Best Practice in Copyright Utilization and Protection, shared their experience of copyright protection in promoting industrial development. More than 100 representatives from copyright authorities and copyright enterprises across Jiangsu Province attended the forum. 

The 3rd Jiangsu (Nanjing) Copyright Trade Fair focused on the experience of China's copyright protection in promoting the high-quality development of local special industries. In particular, the exhibition set up a special sector for WIPO Case Studies of Best Practice in Copyright Utilization and Protection to introduce and promote the copyright development achievements of industries of Nantong textiles, Dehua ceramics and Wujiang silk.