International engagement in China 2007

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In May 2007 Digital Liberty researchers attended ‘The Legal and Policy Framework for the Digital Content Industry’ in Shanghai, China. It provided a critical opportunity to engage with Chinese academics, government officials, practising lawyers and representatives of web-based industries.

Given the rapid growth in the consumption and reuse of digital networked content in China, it is important to be able to provide input into the development of Chinese policy on these issues and gain insights which will benefit practice in Australia. China has more internet users than any other country, and will inevitably play a leading role in reforming copyright law for the digital age. The Digital Liberty team believes that QUT needs to be at the centre of that process.

Through the conference and PhD student Sampsung Shi, we have established very strong links with one of the leading law schools in China – the East China University of Political Science and Law. Speakers at the conference included John Howkins, creative economy guru; Jiang Zhipei of the Supreme People’s Court, the most senior IP judge in China; Xu Chao, Chief Justice and Vice-Director of the Copyright Department of the State Copyright Administration; Professor Gao Fuping, Dean of the Intellectual Property School of the East China University of Political Science and Law; Jane Ogge Cowan, Representative of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs; and Jesse Chang, a leading Chinese technology lawyer. Papers from the conference have been enhanced, translated and edited and are due to be published in what promises to be a leading collection on the topic of Copyright Law, Digital Content and the Internet in the Asia Pacific by Sydney University Press in January 2008.

In November 2007 Professor Fitzgerald was invited to present a Keynote Address in Beijing at a conference organised by Tsinghua Law School and Harvard University Law School on the issue of ‘Jurisdiction and the Internet’ in intellectual property disputes.