China vows to crack down on organ trafficking and transplant tourism

Vatican: China has said it is committed to combating organ trafficking and transplant tourism.

The Chinese commitment came as a senior Chinese representative on Tuesday presented related data on China`s organ donations and transplantations at a world conference here, Xinhua news agency said. 

On the first day of the two-day Pontifical Academy Summit (PAS), organised by Vatican`s Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Huang Jiefu, Professor and Chairman of the China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, revealed the data on China`s new programme for prohibiting the use of organs from executed prisoners.

Huang said the total number of deceased donor liver and kidney transplant between 2010 and 2016 were 27,600 and China`s Ministry of Health has submitted the detailed statistics to the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) for public release.

From the beginning of 2015, China imposed a total ban on the use of executed prisoners` organs for transplantation, Huang said, describing the process as "an arduous journey".

"Rome is not built in one day, the same as for the Forbidden City," he added.

According to Huang, hundreds of foreigners used to come to China every year for transplant tourism before the Chinese government banned the practice in 2009.

From 2007 to 2016, the Chinese authorities formed joint task forces and cracked down on 32 illegal intermediaries, investigated 18 medical institutions, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned 174 people including 50 medical personnel. 

At the summit, more than 70 scientists, experts and officials from different countries and international organisations attended the discussion on organ trafficking and transplant tourism, in a bid to set up further guidelines and ethical rules in curbing illegal activities worldwide.