By LI Linxu

Given that sci-tech permeates into more and more of our daily lives, ethics governance in scientific research and technological development has become increasingly important.

China has always attached great importance to ethics governance in sci-tech, and is committed to developing sci-tech for the greater good.

To strengthen the governance over ethics in sci-tech, a new guideline has recently been released by Chinese authorities.

It is the country's first comprehensive guideline on ethics governance in sci-tech, said Xiang Libin, vice-minister of science and technology, adding that it has filled in the gaps and will improve the public's ethics awareness.

The guideline is framed by five ethics principles, such as serving the well-being of humanity, respecting people's right to life, adhering to fairness and justice, controlling risks in an appropriate way, and maintaining openness and transparency.

Ethics compliance should be emphasized throughout the process of scientific research and technological development, stressed the guideline. Meanwhile, ethics governance should be based on laws and regulations, and should suit the conditions of the country.

No agency, organization or individual should conduct scientific activities that damage social, public, biological and ecological security, nor should they undermine the safety and well-being of people's lives, health and dignity.

Photo shows the 2021 World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai. (PHOTO: VCG)

With regard to international collaborative research projects, they should comply with regulation requirements of all concerned countries, and pass their own ethics reviews respectively.

For those with high ethical risks, the ethics review results should be double-checked by relevant Chinese authorities, according to the guideline.

Opening-up and international cooperation is also highlighted in the guideline.

Ethics governance in sci-tech has international dimensions, hence the global research community must abide by some basic norms, said Xiang, adding that the country is very open and proactive in international cooperation on ethics governance.

China has actively taken part in drafting the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health: WHO Guidance and played an important role in drafting the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

In view of the country's rapid development in sci-tech, with some frontier research entering unchartered territories, international cooperation is more needed now than ever, said Xiang.