China Launches Nationwide Action Against Film Piracy
April 27, 2025, marked World Intellectual Property Day, which brought renewed attention to the persistent issue of film piracy. Popular films such as Ne Zha 2, Detective Chinatown 1900, and Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force have all been targets for illegal recording and distribution.
On April 26, China’s Ministry of Public Security released new figures revealing efforts to combat film piracy. In February, police, in collaboration with copyright authorities and the film industry, launched a crackdown on illegal activities targeting major Chinese New Year movie releases. They dismantled multiple criminal networks responsible for illegal theater recordings and the online distribution of pirated films. Authorities arrested 28 suspects and shut down over 300 pirated websites and apps, according to the China Youth Daily.
Major Piracy Operation Uncovered in Zhejiang Province
One of the key operations occurred on February 3, when authorities in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, uncovered a large-scale piracy network targeting Spring Festival films. Police arrested seven individuals, seized more than 130 illegal film-related websites, and confiscated over 200,000 pirated movie copies. The illegal profits from this operation amounted to over 25 million yuan ($3.43 million). The case has been officially recognized by the National Copyright Administration and the Ministry of Public Security as a major part of a nationwide initiative to protect film copyrights.
Piracy of ‘Ne Zha 2’ Revealed
Ne Zha 2, China’s highest-grossing animated film, has been a prime target for piracy. While the film started showing in cinemas across Denmark and other Nordic countries this week, it was officially released in China on January 29. According to data from China Youth Daily, a pirated full version of the movie appeared online by 11 am the day after its release. By April 17, authorities had detected 261,716 links related to the film’s piracy, with 256,073 of these links taken down. About 40% of these links featured the entire movie, while the rest contained illegal clips.
The release of Ne Zha 2 has been extended for a third time and will now run until May 31. As of now, the film has grossed over 15.7 billion yuan globally, according to the People’s Daily.
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