Chinese authorities have handled more than 1,400 cases of copyright infringement and piracy since the beginning of this year, resulting in a significant reduction in the circulation of pirated and illegally printed books and improvements in online distribution practices.
On Monday, the National Copyright Administration and the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications released a statement highlighting efforts by multiple departments to strengthen oversight and regulation of printing, mailing and sales. The efforts have focused on investigating illegal activities involving pirated books and cracking down on related criminal offenses.
The two authorities also released details of 10 major cases, underscoring their commitment to combating piracy and online copyright infringement.
In one case in Lu'an, Anhui province, 26 suspects were detained. Since January 2023, the group had illegally obtained more than 2.6 million pirated textbooks and sold them through 10 online stores, generating more than 38 million yuan ($5.7 million) in revenue without authorization from copyright holders.
In another case in Tangshan, Hebei province, an individual surnamed Huo was found to have illegally printed more than 390,000 comic books and best-selling titles in two rented houses, seeking profits of more than 17.75 million yuan. Huo was detained by local police in May.
