On November 1st, AI-HSS successfully held the 18th "Humanities × Technology" Thinkers’ Forum. As part of the first anniversary celebration of AI-HSS, this forum, focusing on the theme "Biosecurity Governance and International Cooperation concerning Frontier Biotechnologies", featured Professor Zhang Weiwen, Beiyang Chair Professor at Tianjin University and Deputy Director of the State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biotechnology, as the keynote speaker. The forum was moderated by Lei Ruipeng, Vice Dean of AI-HSS.

At the beginning of the forum, Lei extended a warm welcome to Professor Zhang Weiwen and briefly introduced his pioneering achievements in synthetic biology. With extensive experience in synthetic biology research and biosafety governance, Professor Zhang spearheaded the development of the “Code of Conduct for Bioscientists—Tianjin Guidelines,” establishing significant international influence in the field of biosafety.

In his lecture, Professor Zhang first outlined the groundbreaking advancements in cutting-edge biotechnologies such as synthetic biology. He emphasized that China's synthetic biology research has emerged as a significant global force in this field. Alongside technological progress, risks have become increasingly prominent, posing unprecedented challenges to traditional risk governance and prevention systems.

Subsequently, Professor Zhang reviewed the evolution of global biosafety governance. Currently, nations and international organizations have advanced efforts across multiple fronts, including policy formulation, legal refinement, and normative guidelines. He emphasized that China has played a pivotal role in this process, offering a Chinese solution to global biosafety governance. Taking the “Code of Conduct for Bioscientists: Tianjin Guidelines” as an example, Chinese scholars have actively engaged in international dialogue to drive the development of global regulations.

During the Q&A and interactive session, faculty and students present engaged in in-depth discussions with Professor Zhang on topics such as "the safety boundaries of synthetic biology technology industrialization" and "the role of young scholars in the construction of bioethical norms." Drawing on his research experience and international case studies, Zhang addressed each query, emphasizing that technological innovation must align with biosafety governance. He advocated leveraging Chinese solutions like the "Code of Conduct for Scientists - Tianjin Guidelines" to promote global coordination. He also called on young researchers to practice biosecurity norms in their academic explorations.

Finally, Lei concluded the lecture. She once again extended sincere gratitude to Professor Zhang and encouraged faculty and students to continue their focus on synthetic biology and biosafety, contributing their professional expertise. This lecture combined academic depth with a global perspective. While advancing cutting-edge biotechnology innovation, it provided crucial academic insights and practical guidance for building a more robust biosafety governance system and contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global biosafety governance.