China proposes 'global consensus' on AI regulation

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday called on the international community to build a global consensus on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) , highlighting the security risks amid a fierce technology race between Beijing and Washington.

In his opening speech at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Li said it was necessary to “strike a balance between development and security, which urgently requires greater consensus from the whole society.”

Li also announced the creation of a China -led body to promote global cooperation in AI and open-source development, to prevent AI from becoming "the privilege of a few countries and a few companies."

Technological rivalry between the US and China

The three-day WAIC event comes amid intensifying competition between the US and China in advanced AI technology.

Just days earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a rollback of AI regulations to maintain US dominance in the field, even as Washington continued to restrict exports of cutting-edge chips to China, citing national security concerns.

These restrictions are forcing Chinese companies to look for alternatives, with startup DeepSeek unveiling an AI model in January that rivaled the performance of leading American systems despite running on less advanced chips.

Li, without naming the US, criticized monopolistic control and called for open access to AI technologies, warning of insufficient supply of AI chips and restrictions on talent exchange.

“Only by embracing openness, sharing, and equity in access to intelligence will more countries and groups be able to benefit from AI,” he said.

“AI as a test for cooperation”

At the opening ceremony of the WAIC, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message that AI regulation would be “a litmus test for international cooperation.”

More than 800 companies are participating in this year's WAIC, showcasing more than 3,000 technological innovations.

While Chinese companies like Huawei and Alibaba are the main players, international companies including US companies Tesla, Alphabet, and Amazon are also present.

(AFP, Reuters)