Comments and Analysis on Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances

By Zhan Yi

On 26th June, the acceded countries at the diplomatic conference of WIPO signed the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances (the “Treaty”); the Treaty first established the overall protection system of performers’ rights concerning audiovisual works around the world.  The Treaty has covered more than 40 countries; with China being one of them. This essay is to analyze the effect on the audiovisual industry from the new Treaty, as well as the latest copyright law revisions in China.

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How China Laws Provide on Song Covering in Talent Shows

By You Yunting

A question raised up for me on Weibo stating: should all the singing performances by the participants in talent shows be licensed by the copyright holder? And who shall take the infringement liability once it is accused by the right holder? Behind the question, the most heated news related to the topic is that Universal sent a lawyer’s letter to Li Daimo, the participant of The Voice of China, accusing his unlicensed performance of “You Exist in My Song”, the works of Universal’s singer. Also in the letter, the company demands the ceasing of the performance of the song, by both the participant and The Voice. The seemingly short question actually has many legal issues in it, and the following is my answer to them.

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