Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the 2026 World AI Conference with a speech filled with appeals to shared prosperity and global unity. However, behind the diplomatic language, the true goal of the speech seems to be advancing China's own interests by catching up in artificial intelligence and promoting its regulatory standards on a global level. China's ambitions in the field are not only about technological progress but also about setting the terms for how AI is governed internationally, in a way that reflects its own values and systems.
On July 17, in Shanghai, Xi announced four key principles to guide AI development — openness, collaboration, effective risk management, and inclusiveness. He argued for a global approach to AI governance that is centered on the needs of people, and he called for all nations to work together under a system led by the United Nations. This, he claimed, could lead to a fair and balanced global order. In his speech, Xi emphasized the promotion of “true multilateralism,” a term Beijing increasingly uses to justify the establishment of a parallel global order under the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership.
What the public might not see is how China still depends heavily on access to international resources. According to Henry Gao, a professor of law at Singapore Management University, China’s push in AI relies on global access to advanced models, specialized chips, and open-source platforms. These are the building blocks that China does not yet fully control on its own.
Xi also criticized what he called the 'overstretching of the national security concept' in AI, an apparent reference to the export controls imposed by the United States. This came in contrast to China’s own actions in securing strategic assets, such as access to rare earths, data, and financial systems, where it has taken a very different stance. This duality — advocating for global collaboration while building its own strategic advantages — is a pattern China has used effectively in the past.
A Proposal for the Global South
Xi specifically tailored his message for countries in the Global South, where he has long sought influence. He announced that China would provide 5,000 AI training and seminar opportunities for developing nations over the next five years. He also proposed the creation of international AI cooperation centers with organizations such as ASEAN, the African Union, and the League of Arab States. While these promises sound generous, they are part of a broader strategy to spread China’s own governance model, which emphasizes state control and economic pragmatism over universal rights and freedoms.
China's efforts to build a global AI governance framework have already gained traction. On July 16, 29 countries, including Pakistan, Russia, and Indonesia, signed on as founding members of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). While this is a significant diplomatic win for China, past attempts at similar initiatives have had mixed results. For example, in 2008, China and Russia jointly proposed a draft treaty on space weapons, but it failed to gain widespread support, highlighting the challenges that such ambitious efforts may face. The founding members of WAICO largely came from Africa and the Middle East (Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Oman, Senegal, and South Africa) and Asia (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan). From Europe, Belarus, Russia, and Serbia pledged their support, while in Latin America, Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela endorsed the initiative.
Competing for the Future of AI
The battle over AI governance is more than just a technical issue; it is a political one. The development of AI is moving faster than the creation of rules to govern it, and China is positioning itself to lead in this space. With its model already spreading in sectors like 5G technology and smart infrastructure, success in exporting this governance framework could shape the global AI landscape for years to come. If China succeeds, it won’t just be setting the rules for AI — it will be setting the broader rules for international politics in the 21st century. Xi ended his speech with a call to 'build a community of shared future for humanity.' Yet, as countries consider China’s proposal, they must ask if a 'shared future' means a world based on shared values — or a world where all nations are simply dependent on the same powerful actor.