Copyright Protection, Creative Development: The 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Collective Management of Copyright in Music Works Forum Successfully Held

(Macao, October 10, 2024) – Organized by the Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC), Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong Limited (CASH), and Macao Association of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (MACA), with the support of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), the 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Collective Management of Copyright in Music Works Forum was successfully held at the Galaxy International Convention Center in Macao.

This year's forum consisted of several segments, including the opening ceremony, the premiere of “Copyright Ignites Creativity”, the release of the report on the protection of music copyrights in audiovisual works, keynote speeches, and panel discussions. Key attendees included Wang Zhicheng, Director of the National Copyright Administration of China; Bai Bing, Deputy Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Xu Dongjie, Deputy Section Chief of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Chan Tze Wai, Deputy Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, along with Cheang Hio Man, Department Head of Intellectual Property; Wong Fuk Loi, Director of Intellectual Property Department of Hong Kong SAR; Kong Wai Yi, Chefe De Divisao Tecnicae De Contencioso of the Macao SAR Customs; Ivan Chan, Head of Business Tourism and Events Division of the Macao Government Tourism Office; On Ieong, Senior Commissioner of the People’s Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone; The Macao Legislative Assembly members Cheung Kin Chung; as well as leaders from government departments and relevant institutions, representatives from international organizations, collective management organizations (CMO) for music copyright from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, lawyers, musicians, university professors and scholars, representatives from the education sector, music users, and other related industries. Around 150 guests attended the event in person.

In his opening remarks at the forum, Wang Zhicheng, Director of the National Copyright Administration of China, stated that collective management organizations for copyright, as a bridge between rights holders and users, play an essential role in promoting the effective dissemination of works, advancing the development of cultural and scientific undertakings, and meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the public. Protecting intellectual property rights is protecting innovation. It is crucial to be guided by Xi Jinping's Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and to continuously develop and improve China's distinctive copyright collective management system. Director Wang expressed his hope that the three CMOs will continue to use the Greater Bay Area as a frontier, uniting all sectors of society to jointly explore closer and broader cooperation mechanisms. By fully leveraging the institutional advantages of copyright collective management, they can demonstrate their commitment to copyright and contribute to the better global dissemination of Chinese culture. Following his remarks, Chan Tze Wai, Deputy Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, and Wong Fuk Loi, Director of Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government, also delivered speeches on behalf of the intellectual property departments of Macao and Hong Kong, respectively. Benjamin Ng, Regional Director for Asia-Pacific of International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), gave a speech representing the collective management organizations.

To raise public awareness about copyright protection in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao and to enhance the reach of copyright promotion efforts, the forum's organizers, with the support and guidance of the National Copyright Administration of China, held a premiere ceremony for “Copyright Ignites Creativity” during the event. An original song titled “Remember” was also performed. This lively melody, themed around copyright protection, not only reflects creators’ passion for the music industry and pays tribute to all creators and professionals dedicated to copyright protection but also highlights the critical role copyright protection plays in the healthy development of the cultural industry.

Lei Lei, Chairman of the MCSC; Chan Wing Wah , Chairman of CASH, and João Kruss Gomes, Chairman of MACA, delivered keynote speeches on behalf of the three CMOs on the topic of “Establishing a Cooperation Mechanism in the Greater Bay Area to Enhance Protection for Creators”. All three Chairmen emphasized that collective management organizations help solve the challenges rights holders face in independently tracking the use of their works and negotiating licenses, while improving the efficiency of copyright protection. At the same time, collective management organizations provide a convenient channel for music users to legally use a large volume of music works more efficiently through centralized licensing. The development of the Greater Bay Area offers MACA, MCSC, and CASH extensive opportunities for cooperation, and the results of their collaboration will undoubtedly contribute to the prosperity and international dissemination of Chinese music and culture.

The theme of the panel discussion at this forum was “Artificial Intelligence and the Internet Era: Challenges and Opportunities for Creators”, which was divided into two parts. The first part featured representatives of music creators, including Hao Wei Ya from Mainland China, Mak Chun Hung from Hong Kong, and Chan Wai Fong from Macao, who engaged in thematic discussions and sharing. The second part included discussions and sharing by Professor Lin Xiuqin from Xiamen University and Zhang Jing, Regional Manager for Asia-Pacific of International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).Both parts exchanged views on important issues from the perspectives of music creators and expert scholars, such as the significant value achieved in music creation, the protection provided by collective management organizations for music creators, and the impact of artificial intelligence and the internet era on music creation.

The successful forum further strengthened the cooperative ties among the collective management organizations for copyright in music works in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, injecting new momentum into the copyright protection mechanism for music creators in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The forum has attracted more attention from music creators and users in the three regions, enabling the collective management organizations to expand and enhance their cooperation and communication more effectively. This has sparked the social effectiveness of copyright collective management for music works, playing an important role in safeguarding the legal rights and interests of music creators and promoting the lawful use of music works. The cross-regional cooperation mechanism promoted by the forum can allow copyright protection efforts in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao to align more effectively with international standards, laying a solid copyright foundation for the long-term development of the music industry and related cultural industries in the Greater Bay Area. It plays a significant positive role in advancing Chinese culture to the world.

Photo caption : Group photo of attended guests