News summary produced by Claude AI
Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Friday, July 17, advocating for a collaborative international approach to AI development and governance. He emphasized that artificial intelligence advancement should represent a coordinated global effort rather than competition controlled by individual countries, and he reiterated China’s longstanding objections to what he described as the excessive application of national security rationales in technology policy.
Xi announced several initiatives aimed at expanding China’s role in global AI development. Over the next five years, China will provide 5,000 training opportunities in artificial intelligence to developing nations. The country also plans to broaden AI partnerships with major international organizations including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the African Union, and other regional and multilateral bodies. Additionally, China will grant 30 countries access to its domestically developed AI meteorological system for weather forecasting and early warning capabilities.
The conference featured participation from leaders of Kazakhstan, Cambodia, and Thailand, as well as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. A separate agreement signed one day prior established a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, comprising 29 countries including Pakistan and Russia, with headquarters in Shanghai designed to coordinate international AI governance efforts.
The annual conference drew more than 1,100 companies and 1,400 attendees this year. Technology companies including Huawei showcased recent advances, with Huawei demonstrating its Atlas 950 SuperPoD AI computing system. Some analysts suggest China has transitioned from following Western AI development to becoming an innovator in the field. China’s open-source AI models, including platforms like DeepSeek, have gained traction globally as alternatives to American offerings, particularly among developing economies seeking more affordable options.