中國網(wǎng)站品牌欄目（頻道）
China's copyright authorities on Thursday urged Baidu, the largest search engine in the country, to come up with a plan to properly overhaul its online literary database.
The call came as investigations continued into a copyright dispute between the company and about 40 Chinese writers.
"Baidu's free literary database is not a good business model because lots of works within that database have not been authorized by writers," said Yan Xiaohong, vice-director of the National Copyright Administration and deputy head of the General Administration of Press and Publication, at a press conference.
"Copyright holders and writers have had a fierce response to Baidu's free literary database and we are investigating the case."
Yan said copyright authorities have spoken with Baidu's senior managers and the company has shown a "proactive" attitude toward the case and is considering how it might overhaul its database at wenku.baidu.com.
More than 40 writers, including Han Han, an icon among post-1980s writers, Jia Pingwa, Liu Xinwu and other big names from Chinese literature, posted an open letter online on March 15, accusing Baidu of stealing their work and infringing upon their copyrights by publishing their words without permission and offering free downloads.
Baidu countered by saying it had not made the works available but noted that Internet users uploaded them onto its database.
Negotiations between Baidu and the writers broke down when the search engine turned down the writers' request for compensation.
The writers have also been calling for a public apology and a halt to any ongoing case of copyright infringement, both of which were denied by Baidu.
Zhang Hongbo, deputy director-general of the China Written Works Copyright Society, represents the writers and welcomed the involvement of copyright authorities in the Baidu case.
Questions:
1. Who is involved in a copyright dispute with writers?
2. What is Baidu being accused of?
3. What is Baidu’s response?
Answers:
1. Baidu, the largest search engine in China.
2. More than 40 writers are accusing Baidu of stealing their work and infringing upon their copyrights by publishing their words without permission and offering free downloads.
3. Baidu says Internet users uploaded the works onto its database.
（中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.
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