Chinese President Xi Jinping took center stage during an APEC summit on Saturday, advocating for the establishment of a global body to oversee artificial intelligence (AI) governance. This proposal positions China as a viable alternative to the United States in the realm of trade cooperation, following a year marked by heightened tensions between the two economic giants. Xi’s comments marked his first public remarks on this initiative, which was unveiled earlier this year, while the United States has largely resisted formalizing AI regulations through international frameworks.
In his speech, Xi proposed the creation of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, aimed at establishing governance rules and fostering collaboration to ensure that AI serves as a “public good for the international community.” In statements disseminated by China’s official news agency, Xinhua, Xi emphasized the importance of AI for global development, advocating for its benefits to be accessible to all nations.
Chinese officials have indicated that the prospective organization could be headquartered in Shanghai, China’s bustling economic center. Notably absent from the APEC discussions was U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to Washington after meeting with Xi. Their discussions had resulted in a one-year deal to ease some trade and technology restrictions that had intensified tensions between the two countries.
Analysts speculated that in Trump’s absence, Xi would leverage the APEC platform to promote China’s vision of multilateral trade cooperation. This comes amid a significant push within China to achieve “algorithmic sovereignty,” bolstered by local developer DeepSeek’s rollout of affordable AI models, even as global leaders like Nvidia dominate the AI chip market.
Xi also called upon APEC members to facilitate the “free circulation” of green technologies, an area where China leads in sectors such as solar panel and battery production. The meeting concluded with the approval of a joint declaration addressing AI governance and strategies to tackle the challenges posed by ageing populations.
Looking ahead, China has been designated as the host for the 2026 APEC summit, to be held in Shenzhen-a city that transformed from a fishing village to a major manufacturing hub following its designation as a special economic zone in the 1980s. Today, Shenzhen stands as a pivotal center for industries ranging from robotics to electric vehicle production.
APEC, a consultative forum representing 21 nations and accounting for half of global trade, continues to be an important platform for discussions on economic cooperation and policy development among its member countries. As global dynamics shift, Xi’s push for an AI governance framework illustrates China’s ambitions to lead in key technological sectors while advocating for a collaborative international approach to AI development.
Original Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/01/chinas-xi-pushes-for-global-ai-body-at-apec-in-counter-to-us.html
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Publish Date: 2025-11-01 14:50:00
