A view of Shanghai File photo: VCG

Chinese government proposed on Saturday creation of global artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation organization, tentatively considering its headquarters in Shanghai, the Xinhua News Agency reported. This is an important measure for China to uphold multilateralism and promote global governance through consultation, joint construction and shared benefits, according to an official readout.

It also represents China's practical response to the call of the Global South, aiming to bridge the digital and intelligent divide, and promote the development of AI for good and inclusive development. The organization's headquarters is initially planned to be inShanghai, said the readout.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday said the international community should place greater emphasis on the joint governance of AI, calling for the early formation of a global framework and rules that have broad consensus to guide the development and use of AI.

"China attaches great importance to global AI governance, and has been actively promoting multilateral and bilateral cooperation with a willingness to offer more Chinese solutions," Li said while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.

Li said that the Chinese government proposes the creation of a global AI cooperation organization.

According to the readout, the initiative aims to enhance international cooperation in the field of AI.

"We initially considered that the AI cooperation organization's headquarters should be located in Shanghai, hoping to leverage China's, especially Shanghai's, first-mover advantage in AI to build international consensus, promote pragmatic cooperation, and ensure AI benefits all humanity," the readout said.

We expect this new organization to achieve the following goals as an important international public good, according to the readout. China is willing to share the broad opportunities brought by China's modernization outcomes with all countries, building it into a platform for supply and demand connecting, break down the barriers that hinder the flow of production factors between countries in the world, while fully releasing the unlimited potential of AI, promoting shared development and prosperity.

China will use this new AI organization as a platform to continuously promote the implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution on "strengthening international cooperation in AI capacity building" and the "Inclusive AI Capacity Building Plan." It will help the Global South build capacity, cultivate the AI innovation ecosystem, ensure that developing countries benefit equally from the wave of intelligence, and support implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

China will rely on the new AI organization to enhance the alignment and coordination of development strategies, governance rules and technical standards among countries. On the basis of fully respecting the differences in policies and practices of various countries, we will gradually form a global governance framework and standards for artificial intelligence with broad consensus, and ensure that AI remain aligned with the progress of human civilization.

China will uphold the principle of consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, and will work with willing countries to explore relevant arrangements. This includes  respecting the principle of sovereignty, adhering to equal treatment, and supporting countries to carry out AI cooperation in light of their own national conditions. China will follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, support the UN's leading role in AI governance, and provide a useful supplement to the efforts of the United Nations and its relevant agencies. We will adopt an open and inclusive attitude, practice genuine multilateralism to further build consensus and promote cooperation.

China warmly welcomes all sincere and willing countries to actively participate in the preparatory work of this organization and jointly promote global AI governance and international cooperation, the readout stated.

An action plan for global AI governance was issued at the conference on Saturday, per Xinhua.

The proposal by the Chinese government on Saturday signals that China is now not only a primary engine of global AI innovation, but also an indispensable architect of global AI development and governance, Lu Xiao, deputy director at the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times on Saturday.

China actively participates in and guides global AI governance, advocating the construction of an open, fair, effective and safe governance system, Lu said, adding that advocating for AI global governance not only responds to the realistic challenges of global technological competition, but also demonstrates China's responsibility as a responsible major country to actively promote AI for good, promote fair development, and safeguard multilateralism.

China places the development and governance of AI under the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, advocating a vision of global AI governance with Chinese characteristics, which incorporates the value of development, innovative, people-centered, haromony, fairness and safety, Lu said.


Global Times