Emerging trends in responsible research and innovation: how China is shaping its life and health data governance ecosystem

Biosequencing, big data analytics and artificial intelligence have transformed life sciences, but amplified ethical, legal and governance risks around life and health data. The rise of individual innovators in decentralized biomedical research further exposes gaps in rigid top-down governance models. This paper applies the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework to reconcile innovation and ethical accountability, analyzing how RRI principles are integrated into China's legislative reforms, institutional practices and public engagement strategies. China has made progress in enacting data security laws, improving ethical review and promoting stakeholder collaboration, yet challenges remain in interdisciplinary ethics education, cross-cultural cooperation and public participation. Effective RRI requires systemic efforts to strengthen stakeholder rights and foster global dialogue, offering insights for balancing innovation and responsibility in democratized biotechnology.