Xi calls for global AI cooperation as US restrictions squeeze China's tech access

Published on 17/07/2026 - 12:03 GMT+2

China's President Xi Jinping used a major AI summit on Friday to push back against US technology restrictions, calling for artificial intelligence to be developed and governed as a global effort rather than dominated by any single country.

Speaking in Shanghai, Xi warned against what he called the "overstretching" of national security concerns — a pointed reference to American-led curbs that have cut China off from some of the world's most advanced chips and AI technology.

"The development of artificial intelligence should not be a solo performance by any single country but rather a symphony of global cooperation," he said.

The remarks came at China's annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference, attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Cambodia and Thailand, as well as UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Xi announced that China would offer 5,000 AI training opportunities to developing nations over the next five years and give 30 countries access to a Chinese-built meteorological AI system with early-warning capabilities.

The day before, 29 countries, including Russia, Pakistan and Kazakhstan, signed an agreement with China to set up a new intergovernmental body, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, to be based in Shanghai.

Tech giant Huawei is also at the conference, showing off its Atlas 950 SuperPoD AI computing system.

The flurry of announcements reflects how seriously Beijing is competing for AI influence, particularly in the developing world where China believes it has a competitive advantage over Western companies.

Chinese open-source models such as DeepSeek have already gained ground globally as cheaper alternatives to US offerings.