The Author 3
List of Abbreviations 11
General Introduction 13
Chapter 1. General Background of the Country 13
1. GEOGRAPHY 13
2. DEMOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL COMPOSITION 13
3. POLiTiCAL SYSTEM 14
4. POPULATION AND VITAL STATISTICS 14
Chapter 2. Telecommunications Infrastructure 15
Chapter 3. Information and Communications Technology Market 16
1. GENERAL STATEMENT 16
2. INTERNET DEVELOPMENT 16
Chapter 4. E-Commerce: Facts and Figures 18
Chapter 5. E-Government Initiatives 19
Selected Bibliography 21
Part Ⅰ. Regulation of the ICT Market 23
Chapter 1. Regulatory Framework of the Telecommunications Sector 23
1. BACKGROUND 23
2. SCOPE OF THE LAW 23
3. POLICY OBJECTIVES AND REGULATORY PRINCIPLES 24
4. THE NATIONAL REGULATORY AUTHORITIES 25
5. PROVISION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS: REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS 25
6. PROVISION OF INTERNET CONNECTION AND SERVICES 26
Ⅰ. General Authorization of International Interconnection and Access 26
Ⅱ. Authorization of Internet Content Providers 27
Ⅲ. Internet Content Regulation 28
7. NUMBERING 30
8. RADIO SPECTRUM 30
Ⅰ. Introduction 30
Ⅱ. Management of Radio Frequency Spectrum 31
9. PUBLIC SERVICE OBLIGATIONS 32
Ⅰ. Introduction 32
Ⅱ. Universal Service Obligations 32
Ⅲ. Other Public Service Obligations 33
10. ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES 34
Chapter 2. Regulation of Competition in the ICT Market 35
1. INTRODUCTION 35
2. OPERATORS WITH SIGNIFICANT MARKET POWER 35
3. OBLIGATIONS WITH REGARD TO ACCESS AND INTERCONNECTION 36
Chapter 3. Regulation of Cryptography and Import-Export of Technologies 38
1. REGULATION OF CRYPTOGRAPHY 38
2. REGULATION OF IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 38
Chapter 4. Legal Status of Standardization 41
1. STANDARDIZATION IN THE ICT MARKET 41
2. PATENTS AND STANDARDS 41
Chapter 5. Legal Status of Out-of-Court Dispute Settlement in the ICT Sector 43
1. GENERAL STATEMENT 43
2. OUT-OF-COURT DISPUTE SETTLEMENT WITH REGARD TO INTERCONNECTION 43
Part Ⅱ. Protection of Intellectual Property in the ICT Sector 45
Chapter 1. Application of Copyright in the Area of ICT 45
Chapter 2. Legal Protection of Software 46
1. GENERAL STATEMENT 46
2. SUBJECT MATTER OF PROTECTION 46
3. SOFTWARE REGISTRATION 46
4. OWNERSHIP 47
5. SCOPE OF EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS 47
6. LIMITATIONS ON THE SCOPE OF PROTECTION 48
7. DURATION OF THE PROTECTION 48
8. INFRINGEMENTS AND LIABILITIES 49
Chapter 3. Legal Protection of Databases 51
1. INTRODUCTION 51
2. COPYRIGHT PROTECTION OF ORIGINAL, DATABASES 51
Ⅰ. Subject Matter and Conditions of Protection 51
Ⅱ. Ownership 51
Ⅲ. Infringements and Liabilities 51
Ⅳ. Duration of the Protection 52
3. LEGAL PROTECTION OF NoN-ORIGINAL DATABASES 52
Ⅰ. Subject Matter and Conditions of Protection 52
Chapter 4. Legal Protection of Computer Chips 53
1. GENERAL STATEMENT 53
2. SUBJECT MATTER OF PROTECTION 53
3. CONDITIONS OF PROTECTION 53
4. OWNERSHIP 54
5. CONTENT OF EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS 54
6. DURATION OF THE PROTECTION 54
Chapter 5. Legal Protection of ICT Patents 56
1. GENERAL STATEMENT 56
2. PATENTABILITY OF COMPUTER PROGRAMS 56
3. PATENTABILITY OF BUSINESS METHODS 57
Chapter 6. Internet Domain Name Registration 58
1. MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY 58
2. TERTIARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 58
3. THE LEGAL STATUS OF DOMAIN NAMES 59
4. THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURE 59
Ⅰ. China's Domain Name System 59
Ⅱ. Domain Name Registration Policy 59
5. OUT-OF-COURT DISPUTE SETTLEMENT 60
6. CONFLICTS BETWEEN DOMAIN NAMES AND TRADEMARKS 62
Part Ⅲ. Government Procurement of ICT Products 65
Chapter 1. General Information 65
Chapter 2. Procurement of ICT Products 66
Part Ⅳ. Electronic Transactions 67
Chapter 1. Legal Status of Electronic Transactions 67
1. LEGAL FRAMEWORK 67
2. ELECTRONIC COMMERCE 67
Ⅰ. Electronic Contracts and Formal Requirements 67
Ⅱ. Formation of the Contract 68
Ⅲ. Evidence of Electronic Contracts 68
3. ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS, STANDARD TERMS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION 69
Ⅰ. Standard Contractual Terms 69
Ⅱ. Consumer Protection Law 70
Ⅲ. Consumer Protection in E-Commerce 70
Ⅳ. Anti-Hooligan Software Campaign 71
Chapter 2. Regulation of Electronic Signatures and Certification Services 73
1. LEGAL FRAMEWORK 73
2. SCOPE OF THE LAW 73
3. LEGAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES 73
4. CERTIFICATION SERVICES 74
Ⅰ. Electronic Certification-Service-Providers 74
Ⅱ. Electronic Certificates 75
5. FOREIGN SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CERTIFICATES 76
Chapter 3. Regulations of E-Businesses 77
1. GENERALLY 77
2. INTERNET CAFt AND ONLINE GAMES 78
3. ELECTRONIC BANKING 78
4. OUT-OF-COURT DISPUTE SETTLEMENT 79
Part Ⅴ. Non-Contractual Liability 81
Chapter 1. Liability with Fault 81
1. LEGAL FRAMEWORK 81
2. LIABILITY WITH FAULT 81
Chapter 2. Liability of Network Service Providers 83
1. GENERALLY 83
2. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTS 83
3. OTHER LIABILITY 84
4. LIABILITY OF CERTIFICATION-SERVICE-PROVIDERS 84
Part Ⅵ. Privacy Protection 85
Chapter 1. Protection of Privacy 85
1. GENERALLY 85
2. LEGAL STATUS 85
3. DEVELOPMENT PROSPECT 86
Chapter 2. Protection of Communication Privacy 88
1. CONFIDENTIALITY OF COMMUNICATIONS 88
2. PRIVACY PROTECTION IN INTERNET SERVICES 88
3. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES AND DATA PROTECTION 88
Part Ⅶ. Computer-Related Crime and Internet Security 91
Chapter 1. Computer-Related Crime 91
1. GENERAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK 91
2. TYPES OF COMPUTER-RELATED CRIMES 91
Chapter 2. Internet Security 93
1. LEGAL FRAMEWORK 93
2. ILLEGAL ACTS AND PUNISHMENTS 93
3. SECURITY PROTECTION MEASURES 93
Part Ⅷ. Conclusions 95
Chapter 1. Conclusions 95
Index 97