文化产品、版权保护与贸易规则

Cultural products, copyright protection and trade rules

Cultural products are commodities with cultural contents, which are neither equivalent to cultural relics nor ordinary articles. Such dual natures bring forth divergences in trade policy, mandating the generality and particularity of trade rules. The WTO rules lay more emphases on free trade while the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization put more stress on the free exchange and diversity of cultures. Nations enjoy cultural sovereignty over their cultural policies and administrative measures. The rules of intellectual property rights also influence trade in cultural products. To develop trade in cultural products, science and technologies shall be employed to create diversified and competitive products of distinct cultural values. Han Liyu, Ph.D, is an associate professor of law, and director of International Law Teaching and Research at Renmin University of China, Vice Secretary-General of WTO Section in China Law Society, and member of China’s International Economic Law Society. Mr. Han teaches and does research on international economic law and WTO law, publishing several monographs and articles on the US trade law and the WTO law. For many times, Mr. Han did research as visiting scholar in American universities and UNIDROIT. Mr. Han got a post-graduate diploma in Common Law from Hong Kong University.