Xi Jinping opens Shanghai AI conference with call for global cooperation, unveils 29-nation coalition

Xi's opening address

On 17 July, Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai with a call for international cooperation, framing AI development as a "symphony of global collaboration" rather than a solo performance by any single nation. He warned that unequal access to AI could create "new historical injustices" and compared the technology's significance to the steam engine and electricity. Xi said AI must remain a public good, under human control, and that China would continue to support open-source models.

AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of global collaboration.

The conference, which runs until 20 July, drew over 1,100 companies and 1,400 guests, including Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. No Western government or corporate representatives attended.

The WAICO coalition

A day before Xi's speech, on 16 July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and representatives from 29 countries signed the founding document of the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO). The signatories included Russia, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Chinese state media described the group as a platform for consultations and cooperation to ensure the "healthy and orderly" development of AI. Pakistan's membership, confirmed on the sidelines of the conference, was framed by Islamabad as a step to bridge the digital divide and access emerging AI tools.

Xi described the new organization in sweeping terms.

WAICO is a milestone in the history of AI development.

The organization, first proposed a year ago, is part of China's broader effort to build an alternative to US-led AI governance frameworks.

Open-source as a strategic tool

Xi positioned China's open-source AI models as a "rare historical opportunity" for developing nations. Chinese startups like DeepSeek, Moonshot, and Zhipu have released models that rival US counterparts at a fraction of the cost. DeepSeek's system, for example, required less computing power and development expense than models from OpenAI or Anthropic. Xi pledged that China would share technology and training with friendly developing countries, reinforcing the message that AI should not be dominated by a few wealthy nations.

We must uphold openness and win-win cooperation.

Moonshot's Kimi K3 debut

Coinciding with the conference, Beijing-based Moonshot AI unveiled Kimi K3, a new model with 2.8 trillion parameters. The company claimed it matches the performance of Anthropic's latest AI system. The launch came amid rapid Chinese AI progress, though the country still trails in advanced AI chips, a market dominated by Nvidia.

US-China rivalry backdrop

Xi never mentioned the United States by name, but his remarks were a clear rebuttal to US export restrictions on advanced chips and technology. He criticized the "exaggeration" of national security concerns and the practice of "putting one's own security before that of other countries." The US and EU have imposed curbs on technology exports to China, citing security risks, while American companies accuse Chinese firms of illicitly using their technology. George Chen, head of Digital Practice at The Asia Group, said Xi's message was unambiguous.

Xi's message is clear: China will not trail behind anyone in AI technology or standards. China will not let anyone dictate how it handles AI.

The Shanghai conference, the first in its nine-year history to be opened by Xi personally, signals that Beijing views AI as a central front in its competition with Washington.