The College of Comparative Law, the Research Centre for Health Law of CUPL and the French Paris 8 University co-hosted the 9th International Symposium on Sino-France Health Law online on 10-11 May, 2021.
The theme of this year’s symposium was the Transhumanism in the Era of Improved Medicine. It was jointly organised by the Chinese and French sides, the keynote address and online discussion brought together scholars from China, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, Monaco, Taiwan region of China and many other countries and regions. They gathered together for a thorough exchange and discussion. The dignitaries included the judge and the president of the French Council for Ethical Sciences of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Executive Director of the French Foundation for Continental Law, members of the Ethics Committee of the French Institute of Health and Medical Research, internationally renowned scholars from the Rennes Institute for Political Science, the University of Normandy-Caen, the University of Paris, the University of Lanne, the University of Rouen-Normandy, the Lille Catholic University, the Aix-Marseille University, the Paris-Saclay University, the University of Toulouse I, the University of Burgundy, and many professors from China side like the China University of Political Science and Law, the Tsinghua University, the Nankai University, the Capital University of Medical Sciences University, the Chongqing University and the National Chengchi University.
Dean of the College Prof. Xie Zhiyong delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. On behalf of the University, Xie first congratulated on the successful convening of this international symposium on health law and extended a warm welcome to all the scholars present. He also gave a keynote speech on the Research on Ethical Boundaries of Improved Medicine. Then, he said he looked forward to having an in-depth discussion with the scholars on the related issues of improved medicine, and hoped to further strengthen international academic exchanges and cooperation in the future.
Christian BYK, the Magistrate and Chairman of the French Council for Ethical Science of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and Frédérick Lemarchand, professor of sociology at the University of Normandy-Caen also presented opening remarks. They expressed that this academic exchange between China and France has profound significance, and thanked the hosts, the main organizers and the participating scholars of the symposium.
The symposium was divided into four parts, including the Improved Medicine and Human Enhancement: the Debate between Physicians and Legal sScholars on Transhumanism, A Social Perspective on Human Enhancement, the Improved Human Medicine -- Permitted, Limited or Prohibited? and the Challenge of Improved Medical Development to the Continuation of Humanity. The scholars had a heated exchange and discussion on the frontier issues of law, medicine and ethics from the perspective of improved medicine and transhumanism.
The Chinese and French participants set forth their views for the theme of the conference from the aspects of system, rights, responsibilities and challenges. First, a number of doctors introduced the role of improved medicine in the treatment of specific areas of disease, addressing the ethical and legal issues in practice arising from the advancement of these new technologies. Second, they discussed the improved medicine before people were born, during which they explored the issue of assisted reproductive technology from the point of view of procreation. Thirdly, they elaborated on the implications of humanitarianism, transhumanism and enhancement, and emphasized that the relationship between people, between people and technology, and between technology and human relations should be considered. Fourthly, they discussed the relevant legal system and regulations in China and France.
In addition, Chinese and French students actively participated in the forum. Cai Yuji, a doctoral student at the College, and Wang Xiaoshu, a doctoral student at the Law School of CUPL, were invited to speak in the second session of the forum.
The symposium showcased international scholars' consideration of cutting-edge health law issues such as transhumanism and improved medicine, many of which are of great academic foresight and theoretical significance. At the end of the conference, Prof. Wang Qingbin from the School of Law-Based Government of CUPL and Mr. No ël-Jean Mazen from the University of Burgundy presented closing remarks. They briefly summarized the contents of the conference, and expressed gratitude to the organisers and guests of the conference, especially Prof. Wang Wei, Ms. Bénédicte Beviere-Boyer and Ms. Amandine Cayol for their contributions to the success of the forum.
