Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled a vision for global artificial intelligence governance during a keynote address in Shanghai on July 16 [1].
The speech marks a significant shift in China's diplomatic approach to technology. By positioning itself as a leader in AI ethics and a partner for developing nations, China is challenging the current U.S.-led dominance of AI standards and regulatory frameworks.
Addressing the World AI Conference (WAIC), Xi delivered the first-ever keynote address by a Chinese president at the event [2]. He said he called for a collaborative international framework to ensure that the development of AI remains under human control [3].
Xi said that China intends to support capacity building for AI initiatives specifically within the Global South [4]. This outreach aims to build a coalition of nations that may feel excluded by the technology restrictions imposed by Western powers.
During the address, Xi criticized the current trade and security policies of the United States. He said, "The United States is overstretching its curbs on technology sharing" [5].
The conference also served as a platform for formal diplomatic agreements. A total of 29 nations launched a new intergovernmental AI body in Shanghai to facilitate cooperation, and shared governance [6].
Xi said, "We must work together to ensure AI remains under human control" [3]. This focus on safety and oversight is intended to align China with global concerns regarding the existential risks of unregulated AI growth.
Throughout the event, which continued into July 17, the Chinese leadership highlighted the need for a multipolar approach to AI governance—one that avoids the concentration of power in a single nation or corporation [1].
“"We must work together to ensure AI remains under human control."”
China is attempting to pivot from being a consumer of AI technology to a primary architect of its global governance. By establishing an intergovernmental body with 29 nations and targeting the Global South, Beijing is seeking to create an alternative power bloc that bypasses US export controls and establishes a 'non-Western' standard for AI ethics and deployment.
