From copycat to copyright: intellectual property amendments and the development of Chinese online video industries

Many commentators have in the past hailed the production in China of lower cost versions of famous Chinese and international cultural and media products, better known as a shanzhai (山寨) form of production. Against that, this paper argues that there has been a significant move away from a copycat model in the Chinese creative industries, a trend which should be viewed within the context of China’s obligations as a full member of the WTO. This paper argues that the way in which online video industries have developed and innovated over the last 14 years in China has changed in that online video industries are constantly mutating their business models in response to lawsuits for IP violations instead of simply aligning with existing regulations. By doing that, they are indirectly adapting their business models to local legislation relating to the protection of IP for domestic and international content.