President Xi Jinping attended the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Friday for the first time [1].
The event signals China's ambition to lead the creation of international rules and governance for artificial intelligence. By hosting one of the world's largest AI exhibitions, Beijing is positioning itself as a central hub for global technological standardization.
The conference opened July 17 [4] in a venue spanning more than 100,000 square meters [1]. More than 1,100 companies exhibited their latest technologies at the event [2]. Among the displays was a table-tennis AI robot, whose representative said they hope the technology will improve the quality of people's lives.
Xi said that a fair and reasonable global AI governance system should be established [1]. His appearance at the event underscores the strategic importance the Chinese government places on AI as a pillar of national and international influence.
Prior to the opening ceremony, a significant diplomatic milestone occurred July 16 [5]. Representatives from 29 countries signed an agreement to establish a new organization dedicated to AI cooperation [3]. This move follows a broader pattern of Chinese diplomatic efforts to build networks of technological interdependence.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency said the initiative was an "AI version of the Belt and Road" [3]. This phrasing suggests that China intends to export its AI infrastructure and standards to partner nations, mirroring its previous large-scale infrastructure projects across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
““A fair and reasonable global AI governance system should be established.””
The establishment of a 29-nation AI cooperation body, combined with Xi's first appearance at the conference, indicates that China is moving beyond domestic development toward global institutional leadership. By framing this as an 'AI version of the Belt and Road,' Beijing is attempting to create a competing bloc of AI standards and governance that could challenge Western-led frameworks.
