Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, President Xi Jinping urged that the development and governance of artificial intelligence should be a matter for the international community rather than being driven by any single country. His remarks came as China unveiled a series of co‑operation pledges and backed the creation of a new intergovernmental body aimed at shaping global AI policy.
China sets out co‑operation and training commitments
Mr Xi said China will expand technical co‑operation with regional groupings and developing nations and promised concrete support measures. Among the steps announced were training opportunities and access to a Chinese‑developed meteorological early warning system.
- 5,000 AI training opportunities to be offered to developing countries over the next five years.
- 30 countries to be provided with access to a Chinese AI meteorological system aimed at early warnings.
- A newly formed international arrangement involving multiple countries to promote AI co‑ordination and governance.
“The development of artificial intelligence should not be a solo performance by any single country but rather a symphony of global cooperation,” the president said at the conference.
The conference drew attendance from a number of senior international figures, including the UN Secretary‑General, and leaders from states such as Kazakhstan, Cambodia and Thailand. State media reported that 29 countries signed an agreement with China a day earlier to establish what was described as a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, to be headquartered in Shanghai.
Beijing objects to limits framed as national security
Alongside the pledges, Mr Xi reiterated longstanding Chinese objections to export controls and other restrictions imposed by some countries, which Beijing regards as an overextension of national‑security arguments. He warned against what he characterised as attempts to place one country’s security concerns above those of others.
Those comments reflect growing tensions between the world’s largest technology markets: restrictions by some governments have limited China’s access to certain advanced capabilities, prompting accelerated domestic efforts to build home‑grown technologies and intensify competition with other major economies.
What was announced — at a glance
| Commitment | Details |
|---|---|
| Training places | 5,000 opportunities for developing countries over five years |
| Meteorological system access | Access for 30 countries to a Chinese AI weather‑early‑warning system |
| New organisation | Agreement by 29 countries to form an international AI co‑operation body based in Shanghai |
For local readers, the announcements feed into wider debates about international standards, data flows and the geopolitical direction of cutting‑edge technologies. While the measures are framed as co‑operative, they also form part of a broader technological competition between major powers that could affect global supply chains, research collaboration and the policy choices pursued by governments worldwide.
As the new organisation and China’s package of support take shape, governments, industry and academic partners will be watching to see who signs up, what safeguards are put in place, and how any new technical standards align — or clash — with existing international frameworks.
