The Copyright Limitations of the 2020 Copyright Law of China: A Satisfactory Compromise?

After almost a decade of discussion, public consultation, and legal debate, the third revision of the Copyright Law of China (“CLC”) was finally passed on November 11, 2020 and entered into effect on June 1, 2021. The 2020 CLC made many major revisions to clauses related to the definition of works, the protected rights of the owner of copyright and neighboring rights, and the copyright exceptions. The law also added new clauses related to punitive damages. These topics are properly addressed by other participants to this Special Issue.
As this Author has provided detailed discussions elsewhere on the historical development of the section on copyright exceptions in the previous drafts of the CLC, this Article focuses on the law’s new copyright limitations setting. Part II explores the new changes made to the copyright limitations and their possible implications. Part III critically assesses the current model of copyright limitations and provides recommendations. Part IV concludes.