This chapter explores how and why copyright’s role is expanding and changing in China,
focusing on recent developments in digital content markets. It considers the impact of
uneven media sector reform processes on the emergence of ‘born digital’ copyright
industries in China. There are signs that the commercial benefits of copyright
compliance are beginning to outweigh the advantages of operating outside the intellectual
property system for many Chinese stakeholders. We argue that these developments – in
particular the emergence of widespread exclusive licensing practices – signal a watershed
moment for China’s cultural and creative industries, highlighting the potential for
digital technology to create new markets for legitimate content and services, as well as
the importance of global dynamics in the development of digital era copyright industries.