Chinese prosecutors charged more than 7,100 people with copyright infringement from 2023 through September 2026, as piracy increasingly moves online, targets emerging cultural products and relies on organized, sometimes cross-border operations, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
The country's top procuratorate said the rapid growth of the cultural and digital content industries has been accompanied by new forms of copyright infringement, requiring authorities to target the entire chain of illegal activity.
Once centered on counterfeit books, artworks and other physical goods, copyright offenses increasingly involve web crawlers, deep links and content aggregation applications used to obtain and distribute films, music and literature without authorization.
The scope of piracy has also expanded to online games, short dramas, murder mystery scripts and collectible figurines, posing new risks to creative industries, prosecutors said.
In one case, a group led by a suspect surnamed Zhang operated multiple applications offering more than 83,000 unauthorized audiovisual works. The group generated more than 392 million yuan ($58.7 million) in advertising revenue, prosecutors said.
In another case, a platform operated by a suspect surnamed Wang and overseas associates distributed more than 4,000 films and television programs.
Two language versions of one drama drew more than 5 million and 3 million views. Wang was responsible for placing advertisements and promoting the platform, while recruiting others to provide technical support. The platform had not obtained authorization from the copyright owners.
Criminal operations have also become more specialized, with different participants handling content theft, technical support, distribution and payments. Some provide tools or services to bypass copyright protection software.
In one case, a group sold devices and technical services that allowed customers to use licensed software without authorization, generating illegal business turnover of more than 30.67 million yuan.
Online games have emerged as another target. In one case, a group set up unauthorized servers for three online games and collected more than 6.72 million yuan in player payments.
The operation provided game-client downloads and online payment links, allowing players to access pirated versions and make purchases.
Cross-border distribution has also raised concern, particularly as Chinese short dramas reach international audiences.
Prosecutors cited a group that used web crawlers to obtain 65 short dramas comprising more than 4,900 episodes and uploaded them to applications targeting overseas audiences. The group received more than 390,000 yuan in viewing fees.
Prosecutors warned that overseas piracy can reduce the commercial returns of Chinese films and dramas seeking international audiences.
Another significant shift is how piracy generates revenue. Rather than relying solely on sales of illegal copies, operators now monetize online traffic through advertisements and subscriptions, and in some cases by carrying advertisements for illegal services.
Some use virtual currencies to settle payments and avoid detection. In some cases, websites are set up using purchased domain names and rented overseas servers, while operators arrange advertising deals through foreign messaging applications.
One group ran unauthorized streaming websites hosted on overseas servers that offered more than 160,000 audiovisual works, earning more than 17.22 million yuan in advertising revenue.
Another embedded pornography and gambling advertisements on piracy websites and settled transactions in virtual currency, generating more than 5.32 million yuan in illegal proceeds.
The procuratorate said the cases demonstrate why enforcement must cover the full piracy chain, from acquiring copyrighted content to providing technical assistance and collecting profits.
It pledged to strengthen intellectual property prosecution, improve coordination with other law enforcement agencies and address new challenges posed by technological developments.
It also urged the public to reject pirated products and respect copyright, saying the protection of creators' rights is important to innovation and the sustainable development of the cultural sector.
yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn
