AT the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance (July 17 to 20 in China), international participants across sectors widely applauded the keynote address delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The speech focused on China’s governance philosophy of prioritising AI risk prevention and control while advancing secure, controllable, and well-ordered development.
The advent of AI has been followed by mounting challenges such as ethical disputes, security vulnerabilities, regulatory disparities, and geopolitical contention that are shared concerns for all nations.
The current global AI ecosystem remains complex and uncertain as industrial and regulatory policies evolve, and some countries erect exclusive technological barriers, even suspending domestic R&D of cutting-edge AI models at will.
Against the backdrop of rapid technological competition and proliferating risks, the world urgently requires an inclusive, actionable, and universally accessible governance framework that strikes a balance between AI development and risk control. China’s governance concepts and practical solutions precisely respond to these core global demands.
China’s AI governance propositions have earned extensive recognition and positive feedback from global public opinion and international communities.
Reuters highlighted key governance principles such as human-centric oversight, proactive risk early warning and sound emergency response mechanisms, while Nature magazine has called on global stakeholders to engage actively in the multilateral governance framework championed by China.
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has publicly endorsed China’s propositions, affirming its core vision of advancing benevolent, inclusive, secure and accountable AI development.
In addition, multiple heads of state and government have expressed approval of a cooperation model that breaks away from zero-sum mentalities and geopolitical confrontation – AI should serve as a bridge for global connectivity and collaboration, rather than a technological divide splitting the world into blocs.
Leading global industry practitioners have also remarked that China’s governance practices clear obstacles to the healthy growth of the global AI industry, enabling all countries and humanity as a whole to reap the benefits of the intelligent era.
At its core, China’s model is offering the world not merely standalone governance concepts and security commitments but a systematic, actionable and equitable global public goods package for AI governance that balances efficiency and fairness.
In rule-setting, China spearheaded the release of the Global AI Governance Initiative and facilitated the consensus adoption of relevant AI governance resolutions at the UN General Assembly, establishing a foundational framework for global AI governance.
In inclusive development, China has pledged to provide 5,000 specialised AI training opportunities for developing countries over the next five years, helping emerging economies bridge their technological and talent gaps.
In risk governance practice, the Mazu intelligent early warning system developed by China has been deployed in 30 countries, providing a replicable model for global AI risk prevention and control.
Hosted by the conference, the World Organisation for AI Governance – the world’s first intergovernmental AI body – was officially inaugurated in Shanghai with 29 founding members, marking the initial establishment of a multilateral collaborative governance mechanism.
It is important to consistently uphold the principles of open source, transparency, joint development and shared benefits. In this regard, the large-scale, open-source AI model released by Chinese enterprises during the conference embodies a rejection of technological monopolies and a dedication to open cooperation.
This is an example of the core logic of China’s governance approach: advancing development alongside security and standardisation alongside inclusiveness.
“AI development should not be a solo performance by any single country, but a symphony of global cooperation.”
Global AI governance is currently at a pivotal stage of rule- reshaping and institutional restructuring, where competing governance models, development paths and value systems coexist, creating an urgent need for a stable, fair and inclusive global governance regime.
China’s sustained, pragmatic and open governance practices have proven that high-quality AI development hinges on secure and controllable progress. Only by integrating risk governance into the entire process of technological R&D, industrial application and international cooperation can intelligent technologies transcend national boundaries, mitigate geopolitical disruptions, and deliver shared prosperity for all humanity.
For Global South countries in particular, China’s governance solutions and cooperation models offer a more viable, stable and inclusive development alternative, supporting all nations in participating equally in the intelligent era and sharing in technological progress.
DING JIE
Director
International Relations Center
Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies
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