Shanghai to host Culture Licensing Fair in September

More than 200 domestic and foreign intellectual property issues are expected to be traded at the annual Culture Licensing Fair of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone next month.

The three-day event from September 20 will feature artworks, intangible culture heritage, video games, film and television programs and designs from China's 15 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions  as well as 20 countries and regions overseas.

Shanghai free trade zone recorded a 50 percent surge year on year in international cultural trade to 30 billion yuan (US$4.5 billion) last year.

Nearly 500 cultural enterprises are located at the National Base for International Cultural Trade (Shanghai) in the FTZ.

The base has also drawn more than 10 billion yuan of investment and contributed over 200 million yuan in taxes annually.

It plans to facilitate 100 billion yuan of international cultural transactions during the 13th Five-Year (2016-2020) Plan period. The Shanghai International Artwork Bonded Service Center, the world’s largest center for art auctions, exhibitions and storage, is also expected to be set up in the free trade zone by the end of the year.