Xi Jinping Pushes Global AI Alliance as China Challenges US Tech Restrictions
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for global cooperation in AI development and governance, rejecting national security overreach. China plans to offer AI training and share its meteorological system with developing countries, while establishing a new intergovernmental organization for AI governance. The nation is increasingly seen as an innovator, with its open-source models offering alternatives to U.S. technologies.Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for greater international cooperation on artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology should not be monopolised by any single nation.
Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi criticised the "overstretching" of national security concerns in the AI sector, a position widely seen as a response to US-led restrictions on China's access to advanced technologies.
He described AI development as a "symphony of global cooperation" and urged countries to work collectively to shape its future governance and benefits.
As part of its global AI strategy, China announced plans to provide 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries over the next five years and expand partnerships with regional organisations, including ASEAN, the African Union, BRICS, and the League of Arab States.
Beijing also pledged to grant 30 countries access to its AI-powered meteorological system for early weather warnings. Additionally, 29 nations have signed an agreement with China to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, an intergovernmental body headquartered in Shanghai that will focus on promoting global AI governance and collaboration.
The announcements underscore China's growing ambitions to position itself as a leading force in artificial intelligence amid intensifying technological competition with the United States. Chinese AI models are increasingly gaining global attention as cost-effective alternatives to their American counterparts, while domestic technology firms continue to accelerate innovation in the sector.
With AI now central to China's development strategy through 2030, Beijing is seeking not only technological leadership but also a greater role in shaping the global rules and institutions that will govern one of the world's most transformative technologies.