Editor’s Note: the 9th Academic Symposium of the Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (CCIHPBA)”to"The 9th Congress of the Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (CCIHPBA), alongside The Seminar on the Academic Thoughts of Prof. Oiu Fazu and his 110 Birth Anniversary and Sino -Geman Medical Educaton Fomum and A Commemorative Ceremony in honor of the late Prof. Wan Yee Joseph LAU Oncology Frontier, invited Prof. René Adam, current President of IHPBA from AP-HP Paul Brousse Hospital in Paris, France, and Academician Xiaoping Chen, President of the CCIHPBA from Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, to share insights on IHPBA's mission and the establishment and development of its Chinese chapter.

Oncology Frontier: As the current president of IHPBA, could you introduce the association’s mission and the main work it is currently undertaking globally?

Prof. René Adam：I am delighted to share ideas and interact with colleagues in the Chinese hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery community. The International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) is a leading global organization focused on HPB diseases, with approximately 4,000 members from over 100 countries, committed to advancing HPB disease diagnosis and treatment worldwide.

We focus on three key areas: clinical practice, research, and continuing education. Clinically, our goal is to improve understanding and management of HPB diseases and to promote global collaboration among healthcare teams. In research, we have dedicated committees to support innovative studies related to HPB disease treatment. For education, we provide resources like “MyHPB” on our website, which offers video tutorials for young surgeons in HPB surgery.

We are honored to work closely with CCIHPBA. Recently, we met with its executive committee to further strengthen our partnership. Our shared goal is to expand membership in China and enhance cooperation in clinical research, innovation, and training.

Oncology Frontier: Academician Chen, as the former President of the Asia-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (A-PHPBA) and the current President of CCIHPBA, you have witnessed the growth and changing roles of Chinese HPB surgical experts. Could you take us through this journey?

Academician Xiaoping Chen：Since its establishment in 2003, CCIHPBA’s journey has been filled with both challenges and opportunities. IHPBA, originating in the United States in the 1990s, initially attracted international experts, including doctors from Taiwan, China. Although a few mainland experts were invited in the early days, we maintained a commitment to “boundary-less academic exchange and constructive collaboration,” aiming to foster broader academic exchange. Professor Huang Jiefu, former Vice Minister of Health, was instrumental in integrating Chinese experts onto the international academic stage.

Entering the 21st century, mainland China’s HPB surgery advanced rapidly. Academician Yunyi Liu, then President of IHPBA, recognized that excluding mainland Chinese doctors would be a great loss for IHPBA. Thanks to his diplomatic efforts, we became a part of IHPBA, allowing the voices of Chinese HPB experts to be heard on the international stage.

Since joining IHPBA, our exchanges with the global HPB surgery community have become more frequent, replacing former academic barriers with regular in-depth dialogue and cooperation. Leveraging our population base, extensive doctor resources, and outstanding HPB techniques, CCIHPBA has gradually gained influence in Asia and globally, standing alongside Japan as a regional leader, and even surpassing it in some areas. Today, Chinese experts have become integral as hosts, speakers, and panelists at IHPBA conferences, significantly raising the profile of Chinese HPB surgery internationally.

Personally, I have been honored to serve as A-PHPBA President and as China’s representative on IHPBA’s Executive Committee, and to receive the 2023 IHPBA Distinguished Contribution Award and Gold Medal. These honors recognize not only my work but also the accomplishments of the Chinese HPB field as a whole. Today, many young and middle-aged Chinese experts have established close academic ties with IHPBA members, fostering deepening friendships through regular exchanges. Professor Zhiyong Huang from Tongji Hospital will soon assume the role of A-PHPBA President, further demonstrating the influence and leadership of Chinese experts in international academic organizations.

Reflecting on the past, joining IHPBA was undoubtedly a pivotal step in achieving today’s success. This conference has attracted over 50 international experts, including past, present, and incoming IHPBA presidents, as well as the current A-PHPBA President. Their presence reflects recognition of Chinese HPB work and underscores our status and influence in the global academic community. These experts, many of whom are top scholars and thought leaders in HPB surgery, provide invaluable opportunities for exchange and collaboration.

Additionally, the conference commemorated the 110th birth anniversary of Academician Qiu Fazu and held a memorial session for Academician Yunyi Liu. Both men contributed greatly to the HPB field in China, providing strong support for our integration into IHPBA. We are deeply grateful for their foresight and selfless dedication, which will continue to inspire us.

Oncology Frontier: The international exchanges among Chinese HPB surgical experts have become increasingly extensive and profound. The “Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Specialist Alliance of Belt and Road Initiative” and the “Forum on China-Africa Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cooperation” were formally established at this conference. How do you view their role in promoting the development of international HPB surgery?

Academician Xiaoping Chen：The “Belt and Road Initiative” and the “China-Africa Cooperation Forum” represent two major platforms through which China is committed to strengthening friendships and enhancing cooperation. They highlight China’s dedication at the national strategic level to engage in scientific cooperation and exchange with countries along the Belt and Road and in Africa. Recently, at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, both parties emphasized the urgency and importance of strengthened exchange in the medical field. Following the strategic blueprint, we aim to broaden and deepen channels for academic exchange within the medical community, continuously exploring new avenues for cooperation.

In this context, we are honored to announce two significant initiatives at this conference: the establishment of the “Belt and Road Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Specialist Alliance” and the founding of the “China-Africa Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cooperation Forum.” These platforms are not only a proactive response to China’s strategic deployment but also a means to accelerate the internationalization of Chinese HPB techniques, promoting broad exchange and sharing of technology, knowledge, and experience. Through these actions, we hope to enhance China’s HPB expertise internationally and contribute to the global advancement of HPB health, ultimately building a shared community of health for humanity.

Scene of the China-Africa Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cooperation Forum with (from left to right) Professors Zhiyong Huang, Lianxin Liu, Academician Xiaoping Chen, Professor Eduard Jonas, and Professor Hossam El Deen M.