Copyright forum focuses on innovation, heritage protection

The 2026 International Copyright Forum opened in Dunhuang, Gansu province, on Monday, focusing on fostering innovation and strengthening the protection of cultural heritage in the digital age.

The three-day event, co-hosted by the National Copyright Administration and the World Intellectual Property Organization, aims to build a bridge between tradition and the future through copyright, support the high-quality development of the creative industries and contribute to global cultural prosperity.

Participants from around the world noted that digital and intelligent technologies are profoundly transforming production and daily life, reshaping media landscapes and cultural industries. These changes are expected to bring further transformation while creating new development opportunities for developing countries and emerging economies.

They also stressed the need for international intellectual property rules to evolve in response to technological advances while ensuring a balance between innovation and the protection of creators' rights.

Participants called on all stakeholders to make greater use of copyright to safeguard cultural heritage and ensure that the treasures of human civilization are preserved for future generations. They also highlighted the role of copyright in empowering the creative industries, enabling creativity to flourish worldwide and promoting mutual learning among civilizations so that diverse cultures can coexist and thrive.

They urged all parties to seize the opportunities presented by digital and intelligent technologies, deepen international cooperation and exchanges on copyright, work together to improve international copyright rules and promote the high-quality development of the copyright industry. Such efforts, they said, would make a significant contribution to modernization in all participating countries.