On December 11, 2024, China’s National Copyright Administration and Ministry of Education released the Notice of Legalization of Software in the Education System (教育部 国家版权局关于做好教育系统软件 正版化工作的通知). The Notice was issued in order to implement the Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Issuing the Measures for the Administration of the Use of Genuine Software by Government Agencies (国办发〔2013〕88号) and aims for “the use of software without the authorization of the software copyright owner will be basically eliminated.”
Category: Copyright
China’s Supreme People’s Court Fines Litigant 1 Million RMB for Destroying Evidence in Violation of Court-Ordered Evidence Preservation
On July 17, 2024, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) announced a fine of 1 million RMB against an unnamed defendant for destroying evidence in violation of an evidence preservation order. The case involved alleged copyright infringement of SketchUp software. Per the SPC, the defendant has paid the fine and has not appealed.
9-Year Prison Sentence and 600 Million RMB Fine for Criminal Copyright Infringement of Lego Sets
On April 22, 2024, the Shanghai No. 3 Intermediate People’s Court affirmed the Shanghai Huangpu District People’s Court earlier ruling against principal defendants Long XX Company, Chen XX and Chen YY in a case of criminal copyright infringement of Lego sets. The Court sentenced Long XX Company to a fine of RMB 600 million RMB; sentenced the principal defendant Chen XX to nine years in prison and a fine of RMB 20 million RMB; sentenced the principal defendant Chen YY …
USTR Releases 2024 Special 301 Report on IP Protection – China Remains on the Priority Watch List
On April 25, 2024, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released its 2024 Special 301 Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights. China remains on the priority watch list with the USTR stating: there remain many serious concerns regarding IP protection and enforcement in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In 2023, the pace of reforms in the PRC remained slow. Stakeholders continue to raise …