Songwriting camp connects Chinese music with world

Universal Music Publishing Group China has wrapped up the latest edition of its "Code-M: Conversation in Music", an international songwriting camp with the theme of Conversation in Music, reaffirming its commitment to connecting Chinese-language music with the global songwriting community.

Held in Shanghai from July 5 to 10, the camp brought together 13 UMPG-affiliated songwriters and producers from China, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Portugal.

According to UMPG China, this year's edition was designed around three strategic objectives: strengthening collaboration among Chinese-language songwriters across different markets, fostering creative partnerships between Chinese and international writers, and encouraging dialogue between China's music business and overseas publishing ecosystems.

During the six-day camp, participants collaborated with three artists from contrasting musical backgrounds, producing more than 20 original recordings that were showcased at the closing event.

"This is about building sustainable international creative networks," Sun Jiayao, UMPG China's managing director, said during the closing ceremony. He added that UMPG aims to combine the distinctive qualities of Chinese-language songwriting with contemporary global pop production while creating long-term opportunities for writers.

Beyond songwriting, the 2026 edition introduced a new professional development component focused on music publishing and copyright commercialization. The sessions were designed to give writers deeper insight into licensing models, publishing administration and the commercial life cycle of musical works, while facilitating dialogue between creators, managers and business partners.

Chinese folk musician Wan Xiaoli, who attended the closing presentation, said: "It's remarkable that such high-quality work could be created in just two or three days of collaboration."