Chengdu hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Week in July 2026, affirming its status as a digital economy hub. The city boasts a computing power of 29,000 P, benefits from green hydro-solar energy, attracts 315 companies from the Fortune 500 list, and possesses a unique cultural and creative ecosystem, serving as a digital hub for Western China.
Chengdu's ecological advantage sets it apart from coastal computing centers. Thanks to abundant hydropower, solar, and wind energy resources in Sichuan province, the city has access to inexpensive green electricity, which is becoming increasingly valuable as AI clusters approach gigawatt-level power demands. Computing centers naturally migrate to areas with the lowest energy costs, following the same geographical logic as industrial plants in previous eras. National policies aimed at evaluating computing service capabilities and market pricing for computation will further enhance Chengdu's price advantage, as market mechanisms replace fixed pricing. Analysts predict that the advantage of green computing will be a determining factor in the next phase of AI infrastructure deployment.
Chengdu's digital ambitions are supported by global connectivity infrastructure. The city has established economic and trade ties with 235 countries and regions, hosts 315 companies from the Fortune Global 500 list, and has over 5,000 enterprises with foreign investment. With 106 international direct passenger and cargo air routes, ranking fourth among foreign state consulates nationally and first in Central-Western China, alongside 257 partner cities, Chengdu has created a comprehensive bilateral infrastructure for capital, information, and talent. For seven consecutive years, the city has been recognized as China's best city for attracting talent and the most attractive Chinese city for foreign specialists.
Chengdu's digital creative industries generated revenues of 413.9 billion yuan in 2025. Projects such as Nezha 2 entered the top five highest-grossing films globally, while Honor of Kings remains an iconic digital intellectual property, and The Eight Immortals became a summer hit. The cultural product reflects Chengdu's unique soft power: poetic heritage that creates content with global resonance that AI cannot replicate. Hosting APEC distributed meetings across multiple cities positions Chengdu as an example of regional digital development. The digitalization economy is changing the East-West gradient rules, as computing and data are no longer concentrating solely on the coasts. Chengdu's rise proves that digital transformation can alter economic geography.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in a new era in human development, expanding the capabilities to understand and transform the world, which is a key driver of scientific and technological revolution, as well as significant industrial transformation.
However, alongside unprecedented opportunities, AI also carries risks, such as security issues, ethical dilemmas, and technological inequality. Therefore, the international community faces a serious task in defining methods to promote innovative development, effectively prevent threats, and ensure the fair distribution of benefits for all countries.
China consistently advocates for a human-centric approach to global AI governance and international cooperation, guided by the principle of 'AI for good'. Striving for equality, mutual benefit, and inclusive growth, China is developing new concepts and taking concrete steps to create a more open, inclusive, effective, and equitable system of global AI governance.
China emphasizes the importance of AI development and regulation, outlining its vision for addressing common challenges as the technology advances. The country is committed to the principles of multilateralism and encourages coordinated global governance. However, the international community has not yet reached a consensus on several key issues concerning global AI governance, as countries hold differing views on AI safety, ethics, and limits of responsibility, and have not yet agreed on governance rules and technical standards.
In 2023, China put forward the Initiative for Global AI Governance, which defines the principles of developing AI for good, ensuring its safety and controllability, and promoting inclusivity and fairness. This initiative offers a systematic, practical, and workable guide for global AI governance, calling for the creation of open, honest, and effective governance mechanisms.
As a major AI-developing country, China places capacity building and technological inclusivity at the center of its efforts to advance global AI governance. The country has proposed programs such as the AI Capacity Building Action Plan for Good and for All, as well as the AI+ International Cooperation Initiative. Furthermore, China has promoted the adoption of the first United Nations General Assembly resolution on AI capacity building and has played an active role in establishing the UN-supported Global AI Capacity Building Network.
Through regular international exchanges and training programs, China helps developing countries strengthen their capabilities and reduce the digital divide. China also promotes practical cooperation to improve the international governance and interaction system in the field of AI. Although many principles and initiatives in AI governance have been achieved in the global community, additional efforts are needed to translate these common visions into tangible actions.
China has always followed an open and cooperative global vision for AI development. The World AI Conference 2026 (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, themed 'Intelligent Partners, Co-creating the Future', are scheduled to take place in Shanghai. The event will bring together participants from around the world to showcase the latest achievements in AI innovation, industrial applications, and governance practices, and will serve as an important platform for exchanging ideas and experiences in governance.
The conference is particularly significant as it takes place at the beginning of China's fifteenth five-year plan (2026–2030). China intends to further promote the integration of technological and industrial innovations, advance and expand the AI+ Initiative, and cultivate and strengthen the intellectual industry to support high-quality economic and social development. These efforts will contribute to broader technological opportunities, industrial prospects, and real-world applications in global AI innovation and cooperation.
The Global Network of AI Capacity Building Exchange and Cooperation Centers was officially opened at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization. The Center for Global AI Governance Innovation (CGAIG) was present at the ceremony as a representative institution of China and one of the founders of this network. In Shanghai, a leading hub for AI development, a comprehensive AI industrial ecosystem has been formed, supported by extensive research resources and broad international networks, positioning the city as a key platform for promoting global AI cooperation.
Since its launch at the WAIC 2025 opening ceremony, the Center for Global AI Governance Innovation (CGAIG) has been working to promote China's proposals for global AI governance and facilitate practical cooperation in this area. Recently, the UN-promoted Global Network of AI Capacity Building Exchange and Cooperation Centers was established at the World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. CGAIG, as a representative institution of China and one of its founders, is working to integrate AI capacity building expertise and international public goods into the institutional design of the network, promoting an inclusive and mutually beneficial vision of global AI cooperation.
Ahead of WAIC 2026, China is leveraging its innovative resources to promote inclusive and collaborative global AI development and unlock the great potential of intelligent technologies. Given the uncertainty and complexity of AI, it is crucial that all parties enhance mutual trust, reach consensus, and promote safe and reliable development. China is ready to work with the international community to address common challenges through cooperation, enhancing overall well-being through innovation, and building a globally recognized AI governance structure. Together, it is possible to ensure that AI becomes a global public good that truly benefits humanity, allowing people around the world to participate in the immense opportunities this transformative technology brings.
