China’s Path of Science and Technology Ethics Governance Centered on the People

In an era of rapid development in artificial intelligence and big data, the ethical challenges faced by scientific and technological development exhibit cross-disciplinary and cross-domain characteristics, involving not only technical safety and controllability but also value dimensions such as social fairness, public interest, and the dignity of life. Against this backdrop, the governance of science and technology ethics has become a global issue in the age of globalization. “Science and technology ethics are the value concepts and behavioral norms that need to be followed in carrying out scientific research, technological development, and other scientific and technological activities, and are an important guarantee for promoting the healthy development of the scientific and technological enterprise.” The governance of science and technology ethics refers to the process of systematically managing and regulating ethical issues in the course of scientific and technological development through institutionalized norms, values, and rule systems, aiming to ensure that scientific and technological development conforms to the overall interests of humanity and moral requirements. The governance of science and technology ethics is an important component of the enhancement of the national governance system and governance capacity. China is forging a path of science and technology ethics governance centered on the people.

在人工智能与大数据迅猛发展的时代，科技发展面临的伦理挑战呈现出跨学科和跨领域特征，既涉及技术安全与可控性，也关乎社会公平、公共利益和生命尊严等价值层面。在这种背景下，科技伦理治理已成为全球化时代的世界性议题。“科技伦理是开展科学研究、技术开发等科技活动需要遵循的价值理念和行为规范，是促进科技事业健康发展的重要保障。” 科技伦理治理是指通过制度化的规范、价值观和规则体系，对科技发展过程中的伦理问题进行系统性管理和调节的过程，旨在确保科技发展符合人类整体利益和道德要求。科技伦理治理是国家治理体系与治理能力提升的重要组成部分。中国正在走出一条“以人民为中心”的科技伦理治理之路。

“Enhancing Human Well-Being”

“增进人类福祉”

Alignment with the Concept of “People-Centered”

与“以人民为中心”理念的契合

In March 2022, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), which explicitly stipulates that China’s scientific and technological development must follow five principles of science and technology ethics: enhancing human well-being, respecting the right to life, upholding fairness and justice, reasonably controlling risks, and maintaining openness and transparency. In April 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping published an important article in the journal *Qiushi* titled “Advancing Toward the Grand Goal of Building a Scientific and Technological Power,” pointing out that “the scientific and technological power we aim to build should possess world-leading scientific and technological strength and innovation capacity, supporting the overall leap in economic strength, national defense strength, and comprehensive national power, enhancing human well-being, and promoting global development.” “Enhancing human well-being” is an important goal of global ethics, human rights discourse, and development ethics, possessing a broad foundation of common human values. International bioethics mechanisms, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the World Health Organization (WHO) ethics governance framework, all take “enhancing human well-being” as a fundamental value goal, emphasizing that scientific and technological development, especially in biomedicine, and the corresponding governance of science and technology ethics should protect human dignity, the right to life, and health rights and interests.

2022年3月，中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅印发了《关于加强科技伦理治理的意见》（以下简称《意见》），明确提出中国科技发展必须遵循五项科技伦理原则：增进人类福祉、尊重生命权利、坚持公平公正、合理控制风险、保持公开透明。2025年4月，习近平总书记在《求是》杂志上发表重要文章《朝着建成科技强国的宏伟目标前进》，指出“我们要建成的科技强国，应当具有居于世界前列的科技实力和创新能力，支撑经济实力、国防实力、综合国力整体跃升，增进人类福祉，推动全球发展”。“增进人类福祉”是全球伦理、人权话语和发展伦理的重要目标，具有广泛的人类共同价值基础。生命伦理国际机制，如联合国教科文组织（UNESCO）、联合国《可持续发展目标（SDGs）》和世界卫生组织（WHO）伦理治理框架都把“增进人类福祉”作为根本价值目标，强调科技发展尤其是生物医学科技发展，以及相应的科技伦理治理应当保护人类尊严、生命权和健康权益。

“People-centered” is both the fundamental political stance of the Communist Party of China and the essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the field of science and technology ethics, “people-centered” requires that the interests of the people be taken as the purpose, driving force, and evaluation criterion for scientific and technological development and the governance of science and technology ethics. “The needs and calls of the people are the voice of the times for scientific and technological progress and innovation.” The governance of science and technology ethics, focusing on social and people’s needs, is not only grounded in the common human value foundation of “enhancing human well-being” but is also consistent with the fundamental purpose of the Communist Party of China to serve the people wholeheartedly. “Serving the people is the essential requirement of scientific and technological innovation.” This indicates that “enhancing human well-being” and “people-centered” are highly aligned in concept: both adhere to a people-oriented approach in ontology, both focus on human dignity, rights, and comprehensive development in value orientation, and both emphasize the sharing of development achievements in practical logic, embodying a humanist stance and ethical concern. From the perspective of global science and technology ethics governance, “people-centered” also provides a new perspective for addressing the bioethical challenges of contemporary scientific and technological development, contributes Chinese wisdom, and effectively promotes the innovative development of science and technology ethics governance worldwide.

“以人民为中心”既是中国共产党的根本政治立场，也是中国特色社会主义的本质要求。在科技伦理领域，“以人民为中心”要求把人民利益作为科技发展和科技伦理治理的目的、动力和评价标准。“人民的需要和呼唤，是科技进步和创新的时代声音。”以社会和人民需求为着力点的科技伦理治理不仅奠定在“增进人类福祉”的人类共同价值基础之上，也与中国共产党全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨相一致，“服务人民是科技创新的本质要求”。这表明，“增进人类福祉”与“以人民为中心”二者在理念上高度契合：在本体论上都坚持以人为本，在价值取向上都聚焦人的尊严、权利与全面发展，在实践逻辑上都强调发展成果共享，体现出人本主义立场与伦理关怀。从全球科技伦理治理来看，“以人民为中心”也为应对当代科技发展的生命伦理学挑战提供了新视角，贡献了中国智慧，有力推动了全球范围内科技伦理治理的创新发展。

The Governance of Science and Technology Ethics

科技伦理治理

Must Uphold the Principal Position of the People

必须坚持人民主体地位

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “Science and technology can be a sharp tool for development, but they can also become a source of risk. We must prospectively assess the rule conflicts, social risks, and ethical challenges brought about by scientific and technological development, and improve relevant laws and regulations, ethical review rules, and regulatory frameworks.” In the process of promoting scientific and technological progress, how to ensure that scientific and technological development is rooted in common human values, serves the well-being of the people, and aligns with the public interest of society is becoming a core issue that urgently needs to be addressed in the governance of science and technology ethics in the New Era. Promoting broad and effective public participation in the governance of science and technology ethics is becoming a basic path for China to achieve coordinated development of science, technology, and ethics.

习近平总书记指出，“科技是发展的利器，也可能成为风险的源头。要前瞻研判科技发展带来的规则冲突、社会风险、伦理挑战，完善相关法律法规、伦理审查规则及监管框架”。在推动科技进步的过程中，如何确保科技发展根植于人类共同价值，服务于人民福祉、契合社会公共利益，正成为新时代科技伦理治理亟须回应的核心问题。而推动公众广泛和有效参与科技伦理治理，正在成为中国实现科技与伦理协调发展的基本路径。

Although the international political landscape is volatile and technological competition has entered a critical point of “zero-sum” rivalry, in the era of globalization, humanity, as a community with a shared future, must join hands to face the dual-edged nature, uncertainty, risk, and irreversibility of scientific and technological development. Contemporary science and technology have increasingly become a force intervening in social ethics and the destiny of humanity. For example, while artificial intelligence empowers scientific and technological development, algorithmic bias may exacerbate social injustice; gene-editing technology can benefit humanity, but it may also bring risks of biosafety and ethical disorder. Therefore, global governance of science and technology ethics must be proactive, institutionalized, and democratized to ensure the direction of technology toward goodness. The “Opinions” require that “scientific and technological activities should objectively assess and prudently handle the uncertainty and risks of technological application, strive to avoid and prevent possible risks, prevent the misuse and abuse of scientific and technological achievements, and avoid endangering social security, public safety, biosafety, and ecological security.” At a time when the governance of science and technology ethics in the international community remains difficult, China advocates that the governance of science and technology ethics “should respect the principal position of the people, respect the people’s spirit of initiative, learn from the people, and deeply root the growth of political wisdom and the enhancement of governance capabilities in the people’s creative practice.” Because “the masses of the people are at the forefront of practice, most sensitive to changes in practice, most deeply perceptive, and also the most intelligent. As long as we go among the masses of the people, many problems that we have racked our brains over without finding a solution will suddenly become clear and we will find the answer.” That is to say, only by “rooting in the people’s creative practice” can the governance of science and technology ethics take root and be effective.

尽管国际政治格局风云变幻，科技较量已进入“零和”竞争的临界点，但在全球化时代，人类作为命运共同体，必须携手面对科技发展的双刃性、不确定性、风险性和不可逆性。当代科技已愈发成为介入社会伦理和人类命运的力量，如人工智能在赋能科技发展的同时，算法偏见却可能加剧社会不公正；基因编辑技术能够造福人类，但也可能带来生物安全和伦理失序的风险。因而，全球科技伦理治理必须前置化、制度化、民主化，以便保障科技向善的发展方向。《意见》要求“科技活动应客观评估和审慎对待不确定性和技术应用的风险，力求规避、防范可能引发的风险，防止科技成果误用、滥用，避免危及社会安全、公共安全、生物安全和生态安全”。在国际社会科技伦理治理仍步履维艰之时，中国主张科技伦理治理“要尊重人民主体地位，尊重人民首创精神，拜人民为师，把政治智慧的增长、治国理政本领的增强深深扎根于人民的创造性实践之中”。因为“人民群众身处实践最前沿，对实践变化感知最敏感、感受最深切，也最聪慧，只要走到人民群众中去，很多百思不得其解的问题就能豁然开朗、找到答案”。也就是说，只有“扎根于人民的创造性实践”，科技伦理治理才能落地生根和富有实效性。

Upholding the principal position of the people in the governance of science and technology ethics also means that scientific and technological innovation is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve the free and comprehensive development of human beings. The ultimate goal of scientific and technological development is to serve the people, benefit the people, and achieve the universal sharing of scientific and technological achievements. Therefore, the governance of science and technology ethics cannot be solely self-regulated by experts, research institutions, or enterprises internally; it must incorporate the broad masses of the people into the governance process, making them genuine participants, supervisors, and beneficiaries. As the most core stakeholders in the governance of science and technology ethics, the masses of the people should fully enjoy the rights to know, to express, and to participate in key links such as technology promotion, risk assessment, and the setting of ethical bottom lines. For example, in ethical issues such as human biological data security, privacy protection, and informed consent, it is often ordinary people who are most affected. Therefore, it is necessary to listen to the voices, concerns, and positions of the masses of the people, so that the governance of science and technology ethics has a practical foundation and ethical legitimacy.

坚持人民在科技伦理治理中的主体地位，也意味着科技创新并不是目的本身，而是实现人的自由全面发展的手段。科技发展的最终目的是服务人民、造福人民，实现科技成果的全民共享。因此，科技伦理治理不能仅由专家、科研机构或企业内部自我规制，而必须将广大人民群众纳入治理过程，使其成为真正的参与者、监督者和受益者。人民群众作为科技伦理治理中最核心的利益相关者，理应在技术推广、风险评估与伦理底线设定等关键环节充分享有知情权、表达权和参与权。例如，在人体生物数据安全、隐私保护、知情同意等伦理问题中，受影响最大的往往是老百姓，因而需要倾听人民群众的声音、担忧与立场，使科技伦理治理具有实践基础和伦理正当性。

Building a System for the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics

构建人民群众广泛参与的

with Broad Participation of the Masses of the People

科技伦理治理体系

Building a system for the governance of science and technology ethics with broad participation of the masses of the people is an inevitable requirement for implementing the people-centered development thought, and also a key pathway to enhancing the legitimacy, effectiveness, and inclusiveness of the governance of science and technology ethics. Against the backdrop of rapid technological iteration and increasing ethical risks, the participation of the masses of the people can not only enhance the transparency of decision-making and social trust but also promote the fair sharing and sustainable development of scientific and technological achievements, thereby ensuring that scientific and technological development truly benefits the people.

构建人民群众广泛参与的科技伦理治理体系，是落实“以人民为中心”发展思想的必然要求，也是提升科技伦理治理合法性、有效性与包容性的关键途径。在技术快速迭代、伦理风险不断增加的背景下，人民群众参与不仅能增强决策的透明度和社会信任度，还能推动科技成果的公平共享与可持续发展，从而保证科技发展真正造福于民。

The science and technology ethics governance system is a multi-participatory system encompassing government, academic institutions, enterprises, and the public. The World Health Organization’s 2021 *Human Genome Editing Governance Framework* emphasizes that good governance should ensure “transparency, participation, inclusiveness, and responsiveness.” “Maintaining openness and transparency” is one of the five ethical principles followed by China’s scientific and technological development, namely: “Scientific and technological activities should encourage reasonable participation by stakeholders and the public, and establish a disclosure mechanism for scientific and technological activities involving major and sensitive ethical issues. When publishing information related to scientific and technological activities, transparency should be enhanced to achieve objectivity and truthfulness.” Participation means that the people truly participate in the decision-making process of science and technology ethics governance, rather than passively accepting policy outcomes. Inclusiveness emphasizes that the process of science and technology ethics governance should cover all relevant interest groups, with particular attention to those groups that are marginalized or easily overlooked, ensuring that no one is excluded from institutional design and practice. This is also the core meaning of “respecting the right to life” and “upholding fairness and justice” among China’s five science and technology ethics principles. Specifically, the inclusiveness of science and technology ethics governance can be achieved through three objectives: first, inclusiveness of groups. It is necessary to cover the people of different ages, genders, occupations, educational backgrounds, and regions, ensuring the diversity and representativeness of participants in the practice of science and technology ethics governance. Second, inclusiveness of viewpoints. Different values, cultural backgrounds, and interest demands should be respected and considered, and barriers to participation, such as language, technology, and economic thresholds, should be eliminated. Third, inclusiveness of rights protection. Attention should be paid to the rights and interests of vulnerable groups, avoiding the aggravation or creation of social injustice due to scientific and technological development. Responsiveness means that the science and technology ethics governance system can promptly and effectively respond to the concerns and needs of the people, and adjust policies and practices based on feedback.

科技伦理治理体系是一个涵盖政府、学术机构、企业和公众的多元参与体系。世界卫生组织在2021年发布的《人类基因组编辑管治框架》中强调，良好治理应确保“透明度、参与性、包容性和响应性”。“保持公开透明”是中国科技发展遵循的五项伦理原则之一，即“科技活动应鼓励利益相关方和社会公众合理参与，建立涉及重大、敏感伦理问题的科技活动披露机制。公布科技活动相关信息时应提高透明度，做到客观真实”。参与性是指人民群众真正参与到科技伦理治理的决策过程中，而不是被动地接受政策结果。包容性强调科技伦理治理过程应涵盖所有相关利益群体，尤其要关注那些处于边缘地位或容易被忽视的群体，确保在制度设计与实践中不将任何人排除在外，这也是中国五项科技伦理原则中“尊重生命权利”和“坚持公平公正”的核心要义。具体而言，科技伦理治理的包容性可以通过三个目标来实现：第一，群体的包容性。需要涵盖不同年龄、性别、职业、教育背景、地域的人民群众，在科技伦理治理实践中，保证参与主体的多样性和代表性。第二，观点的包容性。尊重和考虑不同的价值观念、文化背景和利益诉求，消除参与障碍，如语言、技术、经济等门槛。第三，权利保护的包容性。关注弱势群体的权益，避免科技发展导致或加剧社会不公正。响应性指科技伦理治理体系能够及时、有效地回应人民群众的关切和需求，并根据反馈调整政策和实践。

Building a “people-centered” science and technology ethics governance system should be carried out at three levels: institutional, mechanistic, and cultural. At the institutional level, establish mechanisms for people’s participation. In the process of science and technology policy formulation and ethical review, establish systems for public hearings, social evaluation, and ethical impact assessment. For example, before the application of important emerging biomedical science and technology, public forums and ethical consultation meetings can be held, inviting ordinary citizens, ethics scholars, and stakeholders to jointly discuss the boundaries and conditions of technological application, reflecting “procedural justice.” At the mechanistic level, cultivate diverse collaborative governance subjects, encourage community organizations, media platforms, and civil institutions to participate in the discovery, feedback, and supervision of science and technology ethical issues, and promote the formation of a diverse collaborative governance structure guided by the government, with enterprises fulfilling their responsibilities, experts participating, and the people co-governing. At the cultural level, it is necessary to enhance the science and technology ethics literacy of the entire population. Science and technology ethics is not an esoteric discussion among a few experts, but a public issue concerning the basic rights and responsibilities of the people. Therefore, science and technology ethics education should be incorporated into the national education system, community publicity system, and online cultural construction, so that ordinary people understand the “double-edged sword” nature of science and technology and enhance their ability to identify risks and participate in governance. As required by the *Opinions* [1]1 The *Opinions* refers to the *Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics* (《关于加强科技伦理治理的意见》), a policy document issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council in March 2022., it is necessary to “carry out science and technology ethics publicity for the public, promote the public’s awareness of science and technology ethics, and rationally treat science and technology ethical issues. Encourage scientific and technological personnel to communicate with the public on ethical issues in scientific and technological innovation.”

构建“以人民为中心”的科技伦理治理体系应从制度、机制与文化三个层面展开。在制度层面，建立人民群众参与机制。在科技政策制定与伦理审查过程中，设立公众听证、社会评议与伦理影响评估制度。例如，在重要的新兴生物医学科学技术应用之前，可以举办大众论坛、召开伦理协商会议，邀请普通民众、伦理学者、利益相关方共同讨论技术应用的边界与条件，体现“程序正义”。在机制层面，培育多元协同治理主体，鼓励社区组织、媒体平台、民间机构等参与到科技伦理问题的发现、反馈与监督之中，推动形成政府引导、企业履责、专家参与、人民共治的多元协同治理结构。在文化层面，需要提升全民科技伦理素养。科技伦理不是少数专家的高谈阔论，而是关乎人民群众基本权利与责任的公共议题。因此，应将科技伦理教育纳入国民教育体系、社区宣传体系和网络文化建设之中，让老百姓理解科技的“双刃剑”属性，提升辨识风险、参与治理的能力。正如《意见》所要求的，应当“开展面向社会公众的科技伦理宣传，推动公众提升科技伦理意识，理性对待科技伦理问题。鼓励科技人员就科技创新中的伦理问题与公众交流”。

In summary, only when the people truly participate can scientific and technological innovation and development gain the broadest social support and moral foundation. “People-centered” science and technology ethics governance can not only guide scientific and technological development to align with the overall interests of humanity and realize the value goal of technology for good, but also play a role in risk warning and ensuring social stability, promoting the healthy development of science and technology along a benign, orderly, and just track.

总之，只有人民群众真正参与其中，科技创新发展才能获得最广泛的社会支持与道义基础。“以人民为中心”的科技伦理治理，不仅能够引导科技发展契合人类整体利益并实现科技向善的价值目标，还可发挥风险预警与保障社会稳定的作用，促进科技沿着良性、有序、公正的轨道健康发展。

(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Tsinghua University, and a professor at the School of Marxism, Guangxi University)

（作者系清华大学马克思主义学院、广西大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心