Copyright protection is helping transform cultural heritage into creative products, bringing traditional culture to younger audiences and opening up new opportunities in global markets.
The 2026 International Copyright Forum opened on Monday in Dunhuang, Gansu province, bringing together participants from China and abroad to discuss how copyright protection can safeguard cultural heritage and support the development of creative industries in the digital era.
Themed "Copyright and Creative Industries in the Digital Intelligence Era: Protecting Cultural Heritage and Empowering Global Creativity", the forum focused on the role of copyright in promoting innovation, preserving cultural heritage and facilitating international cultural exchanges.
Jiang Hui, vice-minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said copyright protection was essential to encouraging innovation and promoting cultural exchanges.
"Copyright may have national boundaries, but cultural exchanges should not be limited by borders," Jiang said, describing books, films, photographs and music as bridges connecting people across countries.
China's copyright industry generated 10.06 trillion yuan ($1.5 trillion) in added value in 2024, accounting for 7.46 percent of the country's GDP. Chinese online literature has also made significant inroads into overseas markets, with more than 130,000 works reaching international audiences and attracting around 250 million registered users outside China.
In Dunhuang, home to the UNESCO-listed Mogao Caves, digital technology and copyright management are creating new opportunities to preserve and share cultural heritage.
Building on more than three decades of digitalization efforts by the Dunhuang Academy, the city has established what local authorities describe as China's first blockchain-based copyright management system for digital cultural heritage.
The system covers mural images, painted sculptures, cave footage and academic documents. A total of 19,311 digital cultural resources have been registered on the blockchain, while more than 6,500 high-definition digital archives are accessible worldwide.
The system enables copyright verification and source tracing, facilitating the authorized use of cultural resources in creative industries.
World Intellectual Property Organization Director-General Daren Tang said copyright was more than a legal framework for protecting creative works. It also enables creators to earn a living from their work, turning artistic talent into economic opportunities while fostering cultural exchange.
Highlighting the economic contribution of creative industries, Tang said China's copyright industry supports nearly 60 million jobs. As AI reshapes the sector, he stressed the importance of keeping human creators at the center of copyright protection.
"Technology must serve humanity, and not the other way around," he said.
Pierre El Khoury, dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Notre Dame University-Louaize in Lebanon, said heritage is not simply a stock of old images — it is a continuing relationship among people, knowledge and time. "Our task is not to choose between creators and technology, or between access and rights, but to build a system where both can thrive," he said.
Meanwhile, local companies are exploring ways to bring Silk Road culture to wider audiences through digital entertainment and interactive products.
Gansu Jiayuan Digital Technology has incorporated regional landscapes and cultural heritage into its martial arts video game The Wind Road, which topped global sales charts for three consecutive days following its release in 2020.
The company has also developed Lan Xiaowu, a creative character inspired by a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) stone guardian lion at the Lanzhou Museum. Using 3D modeling and augmented reality, the company has brought the historical figure to life on smartphones.
The forum also saw the launch of a joint initiative by the National Copyright Administration and WIPO aimed at integrating copyright protection with folk arts and tourism.
Pilot programs in Chongqing and Jincheng, Shanxi province, will explore ways to safeguard folk artists' rights while promoting the sustainable development of traditional cultural industries.
Contact the writers at huyumeng@chinadaily.com.cn
