Guest Post: Are We Getting China-Africa Media Relations Wrong?

The influence of China on African domestic media and politics is rapidly becoming a contentious issue in China’s international activity, with a number of voices accusing it of neo-colonialism, abetting dictatorial regimes or exporting its own authoritarian model. PCMLP research fellow Iginio Gagliardone, however, argues that these accusations may be overblown, and should be subject to more neutral scrutiny.

Among the increasing number of countries filtering the Internet, China has stood out in its efforts to articulate a doctrine to validate this practice. In a White Paper released in June 2010, for example, Chinese authorities indicated “state security and social harmony” among the pillars of Internet development, and while recognizing the significance of freedom of expression, the paper stressed that when “exercising such freedom and rights, citizens are not allowed to infringe upon state, social and collective interests.” The claim that “the Internet of various countries belongs to different sovereignties” stands in sharp contrast with the U.S.’s pledge “for a single Internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas,” expressed only a few months earlier by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Notice concerning Launching a Special Campaign Attacking “News Blackmail” to Control Paid-For News

All provincial, autonomous region and municipal and the Xinjiang Production-Construction Corps publication bureaus, “sweeping pornography and striking illegality” offices, discipline inspection groups’ supervision offices inside bureaus, all relevant Centre and State organs, all democratic parties, all people’s organizations’ periodical controlling departments, all Centre newspaper and periodical publishing work units.

GAPP Chief Liu Binjie Leads Delegation to London Book Fair

In a few days, the London Book Fair will open. Among its many international activities, the Fair will welcome a delegation of 21 Chinese writers and 180 publishers, headed by Liu Binjie, and organized with the assistance of the British Council, which also bring 10.000 Chinese literary works to the fair. Liu is the head of the General Administration of Press and Publications, which is the administrative body in charge of literary matters in China. It also controls the part of the print news sector that is not under direct Party control (such as the People’s Daily). As such, Liu is also vice-director of the Central Propaganda Department, the CCP Central Committee body in charge of daily management of the press, as well as general policymaking related to the cultural industries and the press sector.

Some Thoughts about Disney’s China Deal

In short succession to Dreamworks, Disney has now signed a cooperation deal with two Chinese companies.  The goal of the newly established National Animation Creative Research and Development Cooperation is to create animated content for Chinese and international market, and act as an incubator for the broader development of the Chinese animation sector by training talent and raising the quality of the content and technical level of Chinese animation. Disney’s contribution will mainly consist of expertise in “story writing, screening, story refining, market research, creative revision and the creation of international standard intellectual property to foster local content and franchise development.” The other two sides of the cooperation are Tencent, which will provide expertise in e-commerce, online promotion and testing, and the China Cartoon Group Co., the cartoon-producing subordinate company of the Ministry of Culture.

A Brief Explanation concerning the “Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China” (Revision Draft)

At the end of March, the National Copyright Administration published a draft for the upcoming revision of the Copyright Law. It also issued an accompanying explanation as to which changes were made in the Copyright Law and why. Mainly, these changes are to be found in consolidating the copyright law regime, by including a number of provisions which were present only in administrative regulations; bringing the law in line with the WIPO treaties to which China acceded in 2007; instituting new requirements on copyright-related contract registration; and expanding the role of collective copyright management organizations. Also, the draft provides a safe haven for technological network service providers.

I, The basic situation of our country’s copyright law

The basic framework of our country’s copyright legal system is composed of laws, administrative regulations, local regulations, departmental rules, local government rules, normative documents, judicial interpretation, as well as corresponding international treaties, etc. After 20 years of efforts, our country has shaped a relatively complete copyright law system.