Xi Jinping Says AI Development Should Be a Symphony, Not a Solo Performance

[Financial News] Xi Jinping, president of China, signaled on the 17th that he intends to establish an AI order led by China. Xi argued that no single country should dominate AI development, and said international cooperation is needed. The remarks are widely seen as aimed at the United States.
According to Reuters and Agence France-Presse (AFP), Xi said at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on the morning of the same day, "AI development should be a symphony through international cooperation, not a solo performance by one country."
Xi stressed a "human-centered approach" to AI development and said, "We must seriously address the secondary risks that AI will bring." He added, "We need to strengthen awareness of AI risks and make AI safe and controllable."
He also said, "We should jointly oppose the excessive expansion of the concept of national security in the AI field," and added that "a global AI governance framework based on consensus should be established as soon as possible."
Xi's remarks came as the United States and the European Union (EU) have been restricting imports of advanced Chinese technology on national security grounds. He also declared his intention to lead AI development together with countries in the Global South. "We will develop AI cooperation centers with Latin America (LATAM), ASEAN, Africa and BRICS countries," he said. "Over the next five years, we will provide 5,000 AI-related training opportunities to developing countries."
WAIC began in 2018 and is being held for the ninth time this year. This is the first time Xi has attended in person. On the same day, 29 countries around the world, including China, signed an agreement in Shanghai the previous day related to the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO).

haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram Reporter