Xi Jinping pitches China as global AI leader at Shanghai summit
Xi Jinping used his first WAIC appearance to pitch China as the AI partner for the developing world, even as chip controls and model curbs strain the message.
Xi Jinping used his first appearance at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai to cast China as a contender for global AI leadership. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China said he would “systemically elaborate on China’s policies, position, visions and propositions on AI development and governance,” signaling Beijing wanted the summit to carry diplomatic weight as well as technical ambition.
Xi urged global leaders to reject a “Cold War mentality” and cooperate on artificial intelligence while presenting open-source AI as a public good rather than a closed, U.S.-dominated model. He vowed to make AI for all and framed China as an AI partner to the developing world, warning against risks and security overreach.
The World Artificial Intelligence Conference is a central platform for China’s AI diplomacy, and this year it was paired with a high-level meeting on AI governance. In 2024, the event produced the Shanghai Declaration on Global AI Governance and agreements exceeding 40 billion yuan, about $5.5 billion, while Li Qiang addressed the opening ceremony.
Washington has tightened export controls on advanced AI chips and tools, shaping access to the hardware that powers frontier models. Beijing was looking at curbing overseas access to some of China’s top AI models.
China has already announced ambitions to become the world’s AI leader by 2030. Chinese authorities had recently met with top tech firms about the strategy. A Reuters summary put China’s government investment in AI second only to that of the United States.
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