China launches plan for global AI governance organization to rival US
China proposed a new global AI cooperation organization at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. Prime Minister Li Qiang called for a unified international AI governance framework to replace the “fragmented” current system.
The organization could be headquartered in Shanghai. Beijing aims to include countries from the Global South, promising to share its AI know-how and promote fair access to AI technology worldwide. 
Li Qiang warned against letting AI become “an exclusive game reserved for a few countries and companies.” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an action plan calling for joint efforts by governments, businesses, and research centers.
Over 30 countries joined the summit, including Russia, Germany, Qatar, South Korea, and South Africa. Major Chinese firms like Huawei, Alibaba, and startups like Unitree participated.
This move is a direct response to the US, which recently launched its own AI strategies and export restrictions targeting China. Li highlighted issues like “bottlenecks in chip supply” and limits on “talent exchange” under American policies.
Over 800 companies displayed around 3,000 tech products including language models, AI devices, and robots. Western companies Tesla, Alphabet, and Amazon attended but Elon Musk was notably absent.
China aims to reshape global AI standards and create a non-Western governance model, rallying the Global South as an alternative to US-led frameworks. Whether this will gain international traction beyond Beijing’s sphere remains to be seen.
Prime Minister Li Qiang stated:
“The global development of AI governance remains fragmented”
“Form a global AI governance framework that enjoys broad consensus as quickly as possible”
“China is ready to share its development experiences and products”
“AI should not become an exclusive game reserved for a few countries and companies”
