President Xi Jinping presented a vision for inclusive, people-centric artificial intelligence governance during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai [1].
The proposal signals China's intent to position itself as a primary partner for developing nations, challenging the current dominance of Western tech powers in the AI sector.
Xi said the framework for global AI governance must emphasize access, fairness, responsibility, innovation, and cooperation [2]. The vision focuses heavily on the Global South, with a particular emphasis on Africa, to ensure that the benefits of AI are not restricted to a few wealthy nations [3].
According to the proposal, the goal is to create a just and equitable global AI order [4]. This includes supporting capacity-building in developing countries to help them manage and implement AI technologies safely and effectively [5].
The World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance opened in Shanghai in 2026 [1]. During the event, the Chinese leadership said there is a need for responsible AI use to prevent the technology from becoming a tool for unilateral dominance by any single power [6].
By targeting Africa and other developing regions, China seeks to establish a collaborative model of governance that prioritizes the needs of the people over corporate or strategic interests [7]. The initiative suggests a shift toward a multipolar AI landscape where technical expertise and infrastructure are shared more broadly across the continent [8].
This vision aligns with broader diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties with African nations through technology transfers and infrastructure investment [9]. The focus on fairness and responsibility aims to provide an alternative to the governance models currently promoted by the U.S. and its allies [10].
“The goal is to create a just and equitable global AI order.”
China is leveraging AI governance as a diplomatic tool to increase its influence in Africa and the Global South. By framing AI access as a matter of equity and fairness, Beijing is attempting to build a coalition of developing nations that may prefer Chinese technical standards and governance models over those established by the US, potentially shifting the geopolitical balance of technological power.
