The 2022·China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights was successfully held on May 10. The seminar was hosted by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the Austria-China Friendship Association, undertaken by the Institute for Human Rights Law of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), the Austria-China Law Association, and co-organized by the Law School of HUST, the Research on Consolidation of the Chinese National Consciousness, HUST, and Institute for Education Law, HUST. This seminar was held in China andinAustria. The main venue in China was inWutongyuAcademic Exchange Center. Representatives fromthe UN’sOffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and 100 human rights experts and scholars from China, Austria, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Spain and other countries in the political, academic, legal, scientific and technological fields discussed science, technology and human rights in an “online + offline” way.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Mr. LuGuangjin, Secretary-General of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, DistinguishedKuangYamingProfessor of Jilin University
Li Yuanyuan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Secretary of the CPC Committee at HUST, thanked the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the Austria-China Friendship Association for their guidance and support, and extendeda warm welcome to the guests at home and abroad who attended the seminar. He said thatinthe current wave of rapid development of science and technology, it is necessary to uphold and promote the common values of mankind and give full play to the role of science and technology development in promoting the development of human rights. The 2022·China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights is of great practical significance to enhancing mutual understanding between China and Europe on human rights and promoting the common development of human rights in China and Europe. In the era of globalization, mankind is faced with many common problems that need to be answered through exchanges and mutual learning. In the field of human rights, scholars from all countries should respect each other, treat each other with sincerity, fully exchange their research results, bridge the gap in understanding, enhance mutual trust and provide academic support for the development of human rights in the world.
XuXianming, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress，Vice Chairman of Supervision and Justice Committee of the National People’s Congress,and Vice President of China Society for Human Rights Studies, said theseminaris of great significance to promoting global science and technology and human rights governance and improving human welfare. The contemporary Chinese view on human rights and China's path of human rights development have not only made unprecedented progress in the human rights of Chinese people, but also contributed greatly to the promotion of human rights in the world and global human rights governance. Technology is a double-edged sword. We should actively realize the all-round development and positive interaction between technology and human rights. In advancing the cause of human rights, Chinapays much attentionto the role of scientific and technological innovation, and actively promotes the balanced development of scientific and technological innovation and human rights protection. We will actively carry out international cooperation in science and technology, get deeply involved in global science and technology governance, and make science and technology contribute more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Heinz Fischer, Former President of the Republic of Austria, President of the Austria-Chinese Friendship Association, said human rights is an important guiding principle of the construction of the world community, andit washis honor toparticipate in two large-scale international human rights seminars jointly organized by Vienna, the ChinaSociety for Human Rights Studies and the InstituteforHuman Rights Law of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and Unveiled the meetingin 2016 and 2019.He said that we live in a world of rapid change and development. The internet, big data and artificial intelligence have changed our lives and bring us new challenges and opportunities in the field of human rights protection. It is important for countries around the world to strengthen communication and promote mutual understanding. He believes that the in-depth exchange of ideas between experts and scholars from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas will bring more understanding and cooperation to advancing the cause of human rights.
LiXiaosi, Chinese Ambassador to Austria, expressed sincere congratulations on the successful convening of the seminar. He said that the seminar is conducive to enhancing mutual recognition and understanding between China and Europe andbetween China and Austria in the field of human rights and promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU and China-Austria relations. China and Europe are comprehensive strategic partners with broad common interests and a deep foundation for cooperation. China and Austria have been actively promoting the sound and steady development of China-Austria friendly strategic partnership, enhancing political mutual trust, making steady progress in exchanges and cooperation in various fieldsand increasing bilateral trade volume to a record high. Ambassador LI also mentioned that based on different national conditions, China and Europe, China and Austria have different perspectives on human rights issues, but the key lies in how to properly view and handle differences so as to avoid interfering with bilateral relations. The two sides should respect each other, treat each other as equals, conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation, seek consensus, reduce differences and jointly promote the cause of human rights.
AndreasRiecken, Austrian Ambassador to China, said that Austria has always pursued a values-based foreign policy, giving priority to human rights and actively promoting and protecting human rights. Austria attaches great importance to open discussion and international cooperation on human rights issues. Their position on human rights is based on the belief that respecting and protecting the human rights of everyone contributes to the well-being and security of all. New technologies and emerging industries, such as artificial intelligence, have great potential to promote the realization of human rights. Without adequate safeguards, they could also pose a serious threat to the realization of human rights. Therefore,Austria advocates paying attention to human rights when developing and distributing newtechnologies, andis committed to ensuring human rights in digital space at the national level and inmultilateral forums. China is undoubtedly a pioneer in the field of science and technology. Austria attaches great importance to the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries at the national level as well as between academia, civil society actors, enterprises and companies.
LiJunru, Vice President of China Society for Human Rights Studies, Former Vice President of the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC, extended warm congratulations on the opening of the conference and delivered a speech under the title of "New problems posed by informatization, networking, data and intelligence to human rights protection". He mentioned that in 21st-century China, informatization, networking, digitalization andintelligentization, as well as the digital economy, are just like a revolution coming towards us and advancing the cause of human rights in China. Compared with the market economy in the real world, the virtual world is more prominent in innovation, openness, subjectivity, freedom and equality, and people couldhave more extensive human rights. However, human rights in the virtual world have a dual character. It is a new trend in the development of Human rights in China to correctly understand and deal with human rights issues under the conditions of informatization, networking, digitalization and intellectualization, and to respect and protect human rights in the Internet and information age.
The seminar set up a keynote speechsessionand three parallel sessions. Experts at theseminarhad in-depth exchanges on "contribution of technological development to human rights", "technology and the right to development" and "digital technology and human rights". Experts from various countries said that respecting and protecting human rights in the era of science and technology has become a new trend and feature in the development of human rights in theory, legislation and practice. China and the European countries need to strengthen cooperation and exchanges, build synergy to meet new challenges and opportunities in the development of human rights, and jointly promote global scientific and technological development and human rights governance.
WangXigen, Dean of the Law School and the Institute for Human Rights Law, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, presided over the keynote speech
Session I: Contribution of Technological Development to Human Rights
Session Ⅱ: Technology and the Right to Development
Session 3: Digital Technology and Human Rights
The closing ceremony was presided over by ShenYongxiang,Vice-President of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, Expert of Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, United Nations
At the closing ceremony, ChenYouwu,Deputy Dean of Institute for Human Rights of Southeast University,ZhangWanhong,Executive Dean of Institute for Human Rights of Wuhan University, and LiuZhiqiang,Professor of Institute for Human Rights of Guangzhou Universitysummarized and shared the discussion of the sub-forum respectively. Chang Jian,Director of Human Rights Center of Nankai University, made academic summary. LuGuangjin,Secretary-General of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, DistinguishedKuangYamingProfessor of Jilin University, made a summary of the meeting.
XuXiaodong, Vice President, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Director of Institute for Human Rights Law, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, expressed his sincere gratitude to the leaders and guests at the closing ceremony. He noted that the topic of "science and technology and human rights" is an important topic faced by the international cause of human rights development, and it is also one of the important issues concerned by international academic and industrial circles,the in-depth discussion of experts and scholars attending the meeting systematically explained the impact of science and technology on human rights and helped to promote theoretical research and practice in the field of human rights. As one of the institutions of highereducationestablished with the founding of the People's Republic of China, Huazhong University of science and technology pays close attention to the issue of science and technology and human rights, focuses on the organic connection between scientific and technological innovation and people's livelihood, and attaches great importance to the transformation and implementation of scientific and technological achievements. In the future, the university will continue to expand the role of science and technology in promoting human rights and make full use of its advantagesinscience and education to contribute to regional economic development and talent cultivation.
The mainseminarsitein Austria was held in Vienna. The seminarwas organized by Gerd Kaminski, Executive Chairman of the Austria-Chinese Friendship Association and Director of European Research Center,Human Rights Law Research Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Theseminarreceived high attention and extensive coverage from nearly 30 domestic and foreign media, including Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily,GuangmingDaily, CCTV, China News Service, China Daily, CGTN, Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine, Macao Daily, Radio France International, Tokyo News and so on.
Nearly 40 leaders, teachers, doctoral students and master students, including LiZhiqiang, Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences Office, Huazhong University of Science and Technology,ChenJie, Director of International Exchange Office, FengZhanchun, Dean of School Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College,Gu Xinjiang, Vice Minister for public information, DingShidao, Deputy Director of Policy and Regulation Office, Jiang Fang,Secretary of the CPC of the Law School,WangXigen, Dean of Institute for Human Rights Law, Dean of Law School,WangHuanhuan, Deputy Secretary of the CPC of the Law School,XuJunhua, Professor, Deputy Dean of School of Law, Researcher of Institute for Human Rights Law, Teng Rui,Researcher, General Secretary of Institute for Human Rights Law,Li Lei,Researcher, Assistant to the Dean of the Institute of Human Rights Law, HeShiqing,Professor, Researcher of Institute for Human Rights Law,KeLan, Professor, Researcher of Institute for Human Rights Law,Guo Liang, Professor, Researcher of Institute for Human Rights Law,CaoMaojun,Associate Professor,He Miao, Researcher, Institute for Human Rights Law,DuZhihan, Lecture, School of Law, LiYanan, Lecture, School of Law, ZhangBen, Lecture, School of Law, attended the on-site meeting.
It is reported that the2022·China-Europe Seminar on Human Rightswas established in 2015 as an institutionalized academic platform for exchanges and cooperation between China and the Europe in the field of human rights. It has been held seven times so far. The previous six seminars discussed the protection of children's rights, the rights of ethnic minorities, the rights of the disabled, diversity of civilizations and human rights, comparison of human rights values between the East and the west, COVID-19 and the protection of the right to life and health.
The Institute for Human Rights Law of Huazhong University of Science and Technology is a human rights law research platform set up by Huazhong University of Science and Technology to further promote the theoretical research of human rights, implement the strategic deployment of CPC and the state on taking the socialist human rights development road with Chinese characteristics, and strengthen the legal protection of human rights.The current dean is Professor WangXigen, Distinguished Professor of Changjiang Scholars of the Ministry of Education, Leading Talent in Philosophy and Social Sciences, andDean of Law School of Huazhong University ofScience and Technology. In December 2020, the Institute for Human Rights Law of Huazhong University of Science and Technology was approved as National Human Rights Education and Training Base. In June 2019, the Institute for Human Rights Law of Huazhong University of Science and Technology undertook the2019·China-Europe Seminar on Human Rightsin Vienna.
