Unlike other IPRs, a registration with the competent authority is necessary to obtain any protection in China, even if a copyright comes into being automatically. It means that the right exists once the creative work is finished and is entitled to be protected by the law without further procedures to be undertaken. So, what’s the point of copyright registration?
1. Valuable evidence of ownership
The reason is simple. Despite the fact that copyright generates naturally, the evidence of ownership of the copyright doesn’t generate itself automatically. However, for any administration, civil or criminal enforcement of the copyright to be initiated, the evidence of ownership is a preliminary condition. It’s not practical to show the competent authority a heap of original manuscripts on your laptop etc. A simple presentation of the certificate of copyright registration will save you a lot of time and trouble.
2. Registration helps protect other IPRs
Moreover, registration of copyright is a supplementary tool to protect other types of IPRs, such as design patents and trademarks.
3. Longer protection period
Another benefit of copyright registration is: once the registration is finished, no extra fee will be needed to maintain its validity. The period of protection for the moral right of publication and economic rights, meaning the right to exploit the work for economic gain, is usually 50 years (if the right holder is an institution) or lifetime of the author plus 50 years. While, a design patent has a limited term of 10 years and a renewal fee has to be paid once every ten years for a trademark.
4. Scope of protection
Technically, most creative works are protectable in China, including traditional ones, such as films, paintings, books, music etc., and others, such as a database, choreography, computer software, APPs for smart phones etc. The prerequisite for a work to be protected by copyright law is that it has to be original and reproducible in one way or another.
5. Shorter and easier registration procedure
Any individual or entity can register their copyrights via the official website of the Copyright Protection Centre of China (CPCC). If the applicants don’t have  premises in China, then they need to hire an agent to do that. Once all required documents are submitted and the official fee, depending on the type of the work, has been paid, the certificate of registration will be granted within 2 months.
