China Expects Acceding to Internet Treaty Late This year

May 8, 2006

On April 11th, Mr. Liu Binjie, Vice General Administrator of China General Administration of Press and Publication, stated that China would join the“Internet Treaty”in the second half of this year. According to him, the Chinese government has always been active in joining the Treaty, with the “Regulations on the Protection of the Right of Communication through Information Network”being drafted since November 2004 and submitted to the State Council on October 2005. It is expected that the Regulation will be approved and published in the first half of this year.

Recently, entrusted by the State Council, the National Copyright Administration of China is in the process of drafting the legislative argumentation report for acceding to the “Internet Treaty”, which will be submitted to the State Council this month. Once approved by the State Council, the proposal to join the Internet Treaty of WIPO will be submitted to the National People's Congress. It can be anticipated that China will accede to the Treaty in the second half of this year.