SHANGHAI, CHINA — President Xi Jinping has urged the international community to “join hands” in building a fair and inclusive framework for global artificial intelligence governance, warning that the rapid rise of AI brings both historic opportunities and serious risks.
Delivering a keynote address during the opening ceremony at the 2026 World AI conference and high-level meeting on Global AI Governance titled “Joining Hands to Build a Just and Equitable System for Global AI Governance,” President Xi said the world is in an “unprecedented period of active innovation” on AI, driven by a new round of technological and industrial transformation.
President Xi highlighted the openness and win-win cooperation, calling for open source collaboration, and sharing to accelerate AI innovation and application adding that countries should promote growth in traditional industries, nurture emerging sectors, and plan for future industries so that “all sectors and businesses can benefit from AI.
President Xi stressed the need to address both inherent and secondary risks from AI urging governments to establish laws, monitoring systems, early warning and emergency response mechanisms to ensure AI “is always under human control.”
He said, AI values should reflect humanity common values and that technologies should be used to increase understanding, tolerance and exchanges among civilizations.
“We should tend to the garden of civilizations with great care to ensure that the beauty of each civilization is appreciated and shared,” he noted.
President Xi Jinping called for “true multilateralism” with the United Nations playing a central role. He urged alignment on development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards to reach a consensus-based global framework.
President Xi lamented that 2026 marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which prioritizes AI development. He noted China has promoted coordination between market and government, grow the “AI Plus Initiative,” and built an ecosystem where industry, research, and government can thrive together.
He informed that China’s core smart economy industries are now worth at least RMB 1 trillion, and “Intelligent Manufacturing in China has become another shining hallmark of Chinese modernization.”
Announcing a major new initiative, President Xi said the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), has been established in Shanghai describing it as “a major move by China to answer the call of the Global South” and a milestone in AI governance.
To further support global capacity building, China pledged over the next five years to Provide 5,000 training and seminar opportunities in AI for developing countries, Establish international AI application cooperation centers with ASEAN, the Arab League, the African Union, CELAC, the SCO, and BRICS, Enable 30 countries to use China’s AI-powered meteorological warning system, MAZU.
“We are ready to work with all parties to seize the opportunities of AI development and meet the challenges, and join hands to create a brighter future for humanity,” President Xi.
