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Administrative Measures on Sino-foreign Cooperation in TV Series Production

中外合作制作电视剧管理规定

Administrative Measures on Sino-foreign Cooperation in TV Series Production ("Measures")

Issued: September 21, 2004

Effective: October 21, 2004

Issuing Authority: The State Administration of Radio Film and Television ("SARFT")

Main Contents: The Measures repeal the Administrative Regulation on Sino-foreign Cooperation in the Production of TV Series (Video Films) promulgated September 1, 1995 ("1995 Regulation"). By comparison, the Measures make no division between TV series and video films, and explicitly name cartoons as one type of TV series that is subject to its application. The Measures define the modes of cooperative TV series production and restate the licensing regime for the administration of TV series production. Additionally, the Measures unify rules applicable to Sino-foreign cooperative TV series production with the rules applicable for cooperation with Taiwanese TV series production entities.

The Measures provide that cooperative production of TV series is subject to the licensing regime of SARFT, which includes a license to initiate filming ("filming license").

Like the 1995 Regulation, there are three modes of cooperative TV series production:

(i) joint production;

(ii) coordinated production; and

(iii) entrusted production. 

The filming licenses for these three modes of cooperation have different requirements and different documents for submission. Chinese producers applying for cooperative production must have the TV Series Production Qualification, and should apply to the Radio, Film and Television Administration at the provincial level for the filming license, while Chinese producers with Grade A TV Series Production Qualification shall apply to SARFT. Joint production filming license applications should be completed within 50 days; for coordinated production or entrusted production filming license applications, 20 days.

Upon completion of the TV series, the producers should submit the completed works to the original issuing organ of the filming license for a final examination of approval to be aired. Cooperatively produced TV series should have a Mandarin version. Other languages may be used upon agreement between the co-operators.