Xi Pitches China as Leader of New Global AI Order, Challenging US Dominance
President Xi Jinping used his first appearance at Shanghai's World AI Conference to promote open-source technology and position Beijing as an alternative to Washington's AI leadership.
Xi Jinping is making his boldest bid yet to shape how the world governs artificial intelligence. Speaking at the opening of the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Friday, the Chinese president cast Beijing as a leader in the new global AI order, Reuters reports.
Xi used China’s biggest AI event to promote open source technology and challenge US influence over the rules shaping the AI industry.
He also called for AI to be accessible to everyone and stressed the need to balance innovation with security as China races the United States for dominance in the field.
Xi’s Pitch for Open-Source AI and Global Access
According to Reuters, Xi urged countries to embrace the opportunities of open source AI and pledged to help developing nations build their own AI capabilities. He warned against new forms of inequality caused by unequal access to technology.
He compared AI to the invention of the steam engine and electricity, presenting China’s open-source models as a global public good rather than a product tied to any one country.
NBC News reports Xi called for greater global collaboration on both AI development and governance, while also acknowledging risks tied to the technology, including the potential for a loss of control as systems grow more capable.
Together, the remarks marked Xi’s clearest articulation yet of an ambition to shape how AI is governed well beyond China’s own borders.
A Governance Framework to Rival Washington
Reuters reports the speech positioned China’s emerging AI coalition as a rival to the US-led “Pax Silica” initiative, which aims to secure global AI and critical mineral supply chains, though Xi stopped short of naming Washington directly.
He urged countries to oppose expanding the concept of national security in AI or putting one nation’s security above another’s, arguing AI should be developed through global cooperation rather than dominated by any single power.
The diplomatic effort is already underway. Pakistan became a founding member of China’s WAIC Organization after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the founding agreement in Shanghai.
Reuters notes the conference comes as Washington and Beijing prepare for their first government-level AI talks under the Trump administration, with UN Secretary General António Guterres, who warns about the lagging AI governance, among the attendees.
Behind the Diplomacy: China’s Broader Tech Ambitions
South China Morning Post reports the four-day World AI Conference, running from July 17 to July 20, brought together more than 1,100 companies showcasing over 3,000 exhibits, including more than 300 products making their global debut.
The event highlighted Beijing’s ambitions beyond AI models, focusing on autonomous agents, scientific research, humanoid robots, and consumer devices.
The conference comes amid an intensifying rivalry with Washington. US export restrictions continue limiting China’s access to advanced computing chips, pushing Beijing to accelerate technological self-reliance.
The outlet also reports China’s foreign ministry rejected Western claims this week that its open-source AI strategy is a strategic trap. Spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing opposes drawing ideological lines or imposing technological blockades.
Xi’s appearance marked the first time a sitting Chinese president addressed the conference in person.
Source: Xi pitches China as leader of new global AI order, challenging US dominance
