Xi Jinping Unveils Global AI Governance Vision at 2026 World AI Conference
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on July 17, calling for a “fair and reasonable” global AI governance system and announcing concrete measures to support AI development in developing countries. The address, titled “Joining Hands to Build a Fair and Reasonable Global AI Governance System,” came just one day after 29 countries signed the agreement establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a new intergovernmental body headquartered in Shanghai.
A New Era for AI Governance
Speaking at the Shanghai World Conference Center, Xi outlined four key principles for global AI governance: openness and win-win cooperation, risk awareness and safety control, inclusiveness and mutual learning, and solidarity through multilateralism. He urged nations to ensure that AI “always remains under human control” and called for robust legal, technical monitoring, risk early warning, and emergency response systems to prevent abuses.
“AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation,” Xi said, according to CNBC. The Chinese president also warned against “overstretching the national security concept in the field of AI, or placing one country’s security over that of others” — a remark widely interpreted as a direct reference to U.S. export controls on advanced AI chips and semiconductor equipment.
The Birth of WAICO
The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization was formally established on July 16, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi signing the agreement on behalf of China. The 29 founding members include Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Thailand, Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Laos, and other nations, with Al Jazeera reporting that the coalition represents a diverse group weighted toward the Global South and China’s strategic partners. WAICO is an independent intergovernmental organization that follows the purposes of the UN Charter and adheres to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.
According to Xinhua News, Xi described WAICO’s establishment as “a major move by China to answer the call of the Global South” and predicted it would become “an important milestone in the history of AI development.”
Concrete Commitments and Economic Scale
Xi announced several concrete measures to support global AI development. Over the next five years, China will provide developing countries with 5,000 AI training and seminar opportunities. Beijing will also establish international AI application cooperation centers targeting ASEAN, the Arab League, the African Union, CELAC, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS. Additionally, China’s “Mazu” (妈祖) meteorological AI early warning system will be deployed in 30 countries.
The Chinese president highlighted that China’s intelligent economy core industry has exceeded 1 trillion RMB (approximately $138 billion), calling “Intelligent Manufacturing in China” a “shining hallmark of Chinese modernization.” This year marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which outlines AI development as a key component of economic transformation.
Geopolitical Context and Strategic Significance
Xi’s personal attendance at the WAIC — his first time opening the event in person — signals the highest-level political commitment to AI as a strategic priority. The speech’s pointed references to not “placing one country’s security over that of others” come against the backdrop of U.S. export controls that have restricted China’s access to advanced AI chips since 2022. Chip giant Nvidia has stated it is “effectively foreclosed from competing in China’s data center computing market.”
China positions WAICO as a response to Global South countries’ calls for inclusive AI governance, offering an alternative to Western-dominated frameworks. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in its official readout, Xi stressed that China “has remained committed to providing international public goods relating to AI.”
International Reactions
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres all delivered speeches at the opening ceremony, welcoming WAICO’s establishment and commending China’s role in AI governance. The conference also issued a Chairman’s Statement outlining the collective vision of participating nations.
What’s Next
The establishment of WAICO raises important questions about how this new institution will interact with existing AI governance initiatives at the UN, OECD, and GPAI. Whether the United States and its allies will engage with WAICO or treat it as a China-led rival framework remains an open question. For now, China has firmly positioned itself as a champion of Global South interests in AI governance — a move that could reshape the global landscape of artificial intelligence regulation for years to come.