Treaty gives support to visually impaired

China on Saturday handed the ratification paper of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled to the World Intellectual Property Organization, or WIPO, based in Geneva.

The Marrakesh Treaty, the first and only human rights treaty with copyright, is due to come into force in China in three months and is expected to guarantee print-disabled people equal access to culture and education.

Under the treaty, China will provide practical support to print-disabled people and continue to strengthen collaboration with the WIPO, Zhang Jianchun, vice head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said in talks with Daren Tang, director-general of the WIPO, via video link on Saturday.

IP administration

China will also further take part in the global administration of intellectual property under the WIPO's frameworks, Zhang said.

The Marrakesh Treaty was adopted by the WIPO on June 27, 2013, aiming to dissolve copyright-related obstacles for print-disabled people to obtain works, and came into force on September 30, 2016. It now has 84 contracting parties.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, adopted a decision on ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty in October.

Xinhua