China Accelerates Plans for World AI Cooperation Body
China announced on Wednesday that it is accelerating preparations to establish a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) , a move that signals Beijing’s ambition to play a leading role in shaping global AI governance frameworks. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement during a State Council Information Office press conference marking the release of a white paper on global governance, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Background: A Year in the Making
The initiative was first proposed by the Chinese government on July 26, 2025, at the World AI Conference in Shanghai. The 2025 conference, themed “Intelligent Era, Shared Future for All,” drew over 800 enterprises and featured more than 3,000 cutting-edge AI exhibits. It also produced the “AI Global Governance Action Plan” and the “Shanghai Consensus,” signed by prominent AI figures including Geoffrey Hinton, Yao Qizhi, and Yoshua Bengio, which called for behavioral red lines for artificial intelligence.
Since the initial proposal, China has been laying groundwork through regular international exchanges and training programs for developing countries on AI technology, talent development, and governance capacity. It has also deepened AI cooperation through multilateral platforms including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS.
Key Developments
Speaking at the June 17 press conference, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China is “accelerating preparations for the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, and welcomes all parties to join in promoting AI for good,” as reported by China Daily.
Zhou Haibing, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), provided additional details. He stated that China, “in upholding multilateralism, as well as openness and inclusiveness, has actively promoted global AI governance and international cooperation, and continued to contribute Chinese proposals to global development in the intelligent era.”
Zhou also confirmed that the organization is tentatively planned to be headquartered in Shanghai, and that China will host the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai in July 2026.
The press conference also released a white paper titled “More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China’s Principles, Proposals and Actions,” which outlines China’s broader vision for international governance reform.
China’s AI Governance Strategy
The WAICO initiative is part of a broader Chinese strategy to position itself as a global leader in AI governance. Key elements include the Global AI Governance Initiative, which emphasizes multilateralism and supports the United Nations playing the “main channel” role in global AI governance.
According to Zhou, China has “vigorously developed an open-source and open ecosystem” for AI, promoting global sharing of technological achievements and application experience while firmly rejecting “closed and exclusive development models, as well as technological monopolies.” This language is widely interpreted as a direct reference to US-led export controls on advanced AI chips and technology.
The initiative is also framed as a response to the “call of the Global South” to bridge the digital and intelligent divide. Zhou noted that China has carried out training programs to help developing countries address gaps in technology, talent, and governance capacity, aiming to narrow the global divide in AI development.
Geopolitical Implications
The announcement comes amid intensifying global competition over AI technology, particularly between the United States and China. Washington has imposed export controls on advanced AI semiconductors to China, while Beijing has countered by promoting open-source AI development and positioning WAICO as a multilateral, inclusive alternative to what it characterizes as US-dominated technology governance.
As CGTN reported, the proposed organization “is expected to serve as a platform for countries to deepen cooperation on innovation, promote pragmatic cooperation to fully unleash the unlimited potential of AI, and achieve common development and prosperity.”
The success of WAICO will likely depend on whether major AI powers — including the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom — choose to participate or establish competing governance frameworks. China’s emphasis on the UN’s central role suggests WAICO may seek UN affiliation or coordination, which could lend it international legitimacy.
What’s Next
All eyes are now on the upcoming 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, scheduled for July 2026. This event is expected to provide further clarity on WAICO’s governance mechanisms, membership criteria, and the concrete resources — including funding, computing power, and data — that China is prepared to commit to the organization.
Open questions remain: Will the US and its allies participate in or boycott the initiative? How will WAICO relate to existing AI governance efforts at the UN, OECD, GPAI, and Council of Europe? And will the organization have enforcement mechanisms for AI safety standards?
What is clear is that China is moving decisively to shape the rules of the road for one of the most transformative technologies of the 21st century — and inviting the world to join on its terms.