At the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, held on July 16, 2026, at the Shanghai Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai, China announced its intention to use AI to achieve common prosperity against the backdrop of a widening artificial intelligence gap.
At the opening of the event, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on countries to adopt a human-centric approach and work together to create a fair and inclusive global AI governance system. Xi emphasized that China, as a responsible major power, is always ready to provide international public goods related to AI.
During the conference, Xi Jinping announced a series of measures to support global AI development. These measures include assisting 30 countries in using the MAZU meteorological system, providing 5,000 opportunities for AI training to developing countries over the next five years, and establishing international centers for AI application cooperation with organizations such as ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS.
China is also actively implementing open-source development to promote more inclusive global AI growth. Chinese models, such as DeepSeek and Qwen from Alibaba, have attracted attention due to their accessibility, efficiency, and openness, allowing developers and businesses to adapt AI technologies at lower costs. Official data shows that Chinese open AI models recently exceeded 10 billion cumulative downloads worldwide.
In Africa, the open-source DeepSeek approach allows developers to freely download and fine-tune AI systems, thereby strengthening local digital capabilities and fostering innovation within the continent. This approach has also significantly lowered financial barriers: DeepSeek costs only $0.27 per million input tokens and $1.10 per million output tokens, reducing the entry threshold by more than 90% compared to some major Western AI models, making digital transformation accessible to a larger number of African users and businesses.
Zhang Weiwei, Deputy Director of the Institute of World Peace and Security at the Chinese Institute of International Studies, noted that China, understanding the aspirations of many Global South countries for economic and technological progress, believes that China's open AI models enable countries to develop applications faster and cheaper, allowing a greater number of developing countries to benefit from technological progress.
As AI rapidly develops, the global gap is also growing. The World Bank's report 'Digital Progress and Trends 2025' identified significant disparities between high-income and middle- and low-income countries regarding computing power and AI systems. Furthermore, the resources of global data centers remain heavily concentrated in developed economies, with Africa accounting for less than 1% of global capacity.
To address these gaps, Xi called on countries to help developing nations enhance their AI capabilities, reduce digital inequality, and establish a globally recognized governance system so that new technologies serve all humanity. China has long advocated for a fair and inclusive global AI governance system. In 2023, the Global AI Governance Initiative was proposed; in 2024, the AI Capacity Building Action Plan for All was introduced; and in 2025, the AI+ International Cooperation Initiative.
Moreover, China has created platforms for international interaction by launching the Center for Global AI Governance Innovation (CGAIG) and the Friends Group on International AI Capacity Building, which unite countries to strengthen dialogue, exchange knowledge, and enhance potential. The signing of the agreement to establish the AI Cooperation Organization in Shanghai on Thursday was another step toward advancing global AI cooperation and ensuring the safe, fair, and beneficial development of artificial intelligence.
China intends to use the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with all parties towards creating a global AI governance system based on broad consensus, stated Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Friday.
These statements were made by Han Zheng during the opening of the XIV World Forum of Peace in Beijing, where he called for strengthening governance mechanisms in developing areas such as artificial intelligence.
He noted that China has put forward the Initiative for Global AI Governance, which advocates for a human-centric approach and the development of AI for the benefit of humanity.
Han Zheng emphasized that the world is undergoing an accelerated transformation, unprecedented in a century, accompanied by growing instability, turbulence, frequent geopolitical conflicts, as well as more evident risks and governance gaps.
He also mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping presented the Global Governance Initiative to promote the building of a fairer and more equitable global governance system, which will bring necessary stability and positive energy to the world.
Furthermore, Han added that China has always taken concrete steps to maintain the central role of the United Nations in international affairs, faithfully fulfilling its duties and missions as a permanent member of the Security Council. He expressed readiness to work with all countries to preserve the post-war world order and uphold international justice and equality.
As the host of the 33rd APEC Leaders' Summit, China will cooperate with all partners in building the Asia-Pacific community. He also stated his intention to continue expanding high-standard open access and work with all states to promote universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
The event in China's capital was attended by about 400 people, including former foreign political figures, diplomatic envoys to China, and scientists from China and abroad.
