The Chinese government has passed anew regulation to ban the
uploading and downloading of Internet material without the
copyright holder's permission.
Under the regulation, effective from July 1, anyone uploading
texts, and performance, sound and video recordings to the Internet
for downloading, copying or other use, must acquire the permission
of the copyright owners and pay the required fee.
The production, import and supply of devices that are capable of
evading or breaching technical measures of copyright protection and
technical services are prohibited under the regulation.
The regulation was drawn up on the principle that it must
balance the interests of copyright owners, Internet service
providers and users of the copyrighted works, said an official with
the Legal Affairs Office of the State Council.
China is the world's second-largest Internet market after the
United States with more than 110 million users.
(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2006)
