Regarding the specific timeline for the revision of the Copyright Law, Yan Xiaohong, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Press and Publication and Director of the National Copyright Administration, said that China's Copyright Law was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in 1990, and it has been 21 years since then. There have been two local revisions during the 21-year period. The first one was made in 2001 after China joined the WTO to comply with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The second one was made last year after the intellectual property dispute case between China and the United States, to implement the WTO's ruling, a local revision was also made to the Copyright Law.

Yan said that the Copyright Law has become outdated in many ways, especially since some international treaties have been adjusted, and there are many unclear and difficult-to-operate places. For example, how to pay remuneration for statutory许可 works, how to pay remuneration for textbook works, including the performance right and broadcasting right of the producers of sound recordings, and so on, these need to be completed in a more comprehensive revision of the Copyright Law.

The State Council has now included the legislation of copyright into the legislative plan, and when the law needs to be comprehensively revised will be decided by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.