Chinese delegate participates in Vatican summit against organ trafficking

For the second year in a row, a Chinese delegate took part in a two-day Vatican conference against organ trafficking that ended in Rome on Tuesday.

Participants at the yearly Summit on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism held at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which is inside the Vatican, include officials, experts, and advocates from around the world.

Summit speakers included Wang Haibo, a Chinese medical expert on behalf of Huang Jiefu, a former Chinese vice-minister of health and the current head of the National Human Organ Donation and Transplant Committee. Wang reiterated China's stance on strict measures against organ trafficking.

Organ trafficking and human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal are condemned by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, among others.

China's Global Times newspaper reported at the weekend that China would present its efforts to combat organ trafficking and progress on organ donation and transplants at the summit.

Last year, 77 signatories at the summit called for the criminal prosecution of organ sale and trafficking, for the protection of organ-trafficking victims, and for countries to promote ethical and regulated organ donor programs, among other recommendations, according to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences website.