Full story
Xi’s AI alliance push
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged countries to cooperate on artificial intelligence and ensure no country dominates the technology at a major tech conference in Shanghai on Friday, where China showcased cutting-edge technology that rivals the prowess of the US.
Xi spoke at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai and called for a “historic opportunity” provided by open-source AI, saying, “AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation.”
At the heart of Beijing’s pitch was a new coalition of 29 nations announced on Thursday called the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with attendees including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
WAICO was formally formed on July 16 and is headquartered in Shanghai, with 29 member founding countries including Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Senegal, Russia and Pakistan.
The conference framing tied Xi’s message to geopolitical competition, with Beijing casting the US as seeking to stymie China’s efforts on AI and regulation.
Governance, safety, and rivals
Xi warned that countries should “jointly oppose overstretching the national security concept in the field of AI or placing one country’s security over that of others,” as the World Artificial Intelligence Conference opened in Shanghai on Friday.
In the same remarks, Xi stressed that AI should be “always under human control” using safeguards such as regulations, technological monitoring, early warning and emergency response systems.
The Express Tribune described Xi’s keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and a High-Level Meeting on global AI governance in Shanghai, where he urged multilateral governance rooted in equity and cooperation.
L’Express reported that Xi said, “Le développement de l’IA ne doit pas être le fait d’un seul pays, mais une symphonie internationale,” positioning open-source models as an alternative to US influence.
The Anadolu Ajansı report said Xi urged ensuring that artificial intelligence remains under human control and emphasized the role of the United Nations in aligning AI development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards.
Training, centers, and influence
Xi said China would provide 5,000 training opportunities in AI-related fields for developing countries over the next five years and pledged to establish international AI cooperation centres with regional organisations including ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS.
“The Chinese president calls for ensuring that artificial intelligence remains under human control”
Azzaman reported that Xi announced China will provide over the next five years 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries and will expand cooperation with ASEAN, the Arab League, the African Union, the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS nations.
The plan also included an AI-powered weather observation system developed in China for the benefit of 30 countries, aimed at enhancing early warning and disaster response capabilities, according to Azzaman.
In parallel, Xi’s WAICO pitch was framed as a counterweight to the US-led “Pax Silica” initiative, with the WAICO agreement signed by 29 countries including Russia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan and based in Shanghai.
George Chen, head of the digital practices group at the Asia Group consultancy, said Xi’s message was clear: “China will not follow anyone in AI technology or its standards, but wants to lead the world in both domains.”
