China moves to lead global AI rules with new cooperation push

With a fresh proposal to unite AI governance under one umbrella, Beijing seeks to position itself as a fair minded steward of tech progress for the Global SouthI? Because increasingly, it is.

China has proposed a new international AI cooperation body, potentially headquartered in Shanghai,Premier Li Qiang warns that AI risks becoming dominated by a few powerful nations,Beijing’s plan positions China as a tech partner for the Global South and an alternative to US-led frameworks

Is artificial intelligence becoming an exclusive club? That was the pointed question raised by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where China unveiled an ambitious plan to create a global organisation dedicated to AI cooperation. As geopolitical rivalry with the United States simmers, Beijing is now vying to reshape the rules of the AI game and open the doors to a broader, more inclusive future.

Rethinking the AI Playing Field

At the heart of China’s proposal lies a critique of current AI governance: it is, in Li’s words, "still fragmented". With competing national policies, inconsistent ethical standards, and growing tech protectionism, the global AI landscape resembles a patchwork more than a framework. In response, Beijing wants to unify efforts, setting out a clear call for a "global AI governance framework that has broad consensus".

Li’s speech in Shanghai avoided naming the United States directly, but the undertone was unmistakable. Washington’s recent AI blueprint seeks to turbocharge American exports to allies and ring-fence technological leadership. In contrast, China is positioning itself as a collaborator, offering to share AI advances, regulatory experience, and digital infrastructure, particularly with developing economies.

Beijing’s Pitch to the Global South

The initiative goes beyond slogans. China’s foreign ministry has published an action plan for global AI governance, inviting governments, companies and institutions into a cross-border open source community. Premier Li emphasised that China was "willing to share its development experience and products with other countries, particularly the Global South."

This is more than soft power. It’s a geopolitical reframe. In tech diplomacy, sharing tools and setting norms matters. By courting emerging economies, China is playing the long game, embedding its standards in the foundational layers of global AI practice. It’s a move that echoes its Belt and Road strategy, but in the digital domain. For more on the global shift in AI, read about the [/business/ai-wave-shifts-to-global-south].

Shanghai as the AI Geneva?

China is even considering situating this proposed cooperation body in Shanghai, a symbolic and strategic choice. The city already hosts the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference, which this year attracted over 800 companies, 40 large language models, and 60 intelligent robots.

Among the speakers were Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called Godfather of AI, and Anne Bouverot, France’s AI envoy. While the absence of Tesla’s Elon Musk raised some eyebrows, major US firms like Amazon, Google, and Tesla still participated — signalling that commercial interests remain robust, even as political tensions rise.

US Sanctions, Chinese Ambitions

The US, meanwhile, continues to restrict exports of high-end AI chips and semiconductor tools to China, citing national security concerns. These moves have prompted concern in Beijing, where Li pointed to "insufficient supply of AI chips" and "restrictions on talent exchange" as key bottlenecks. This plays into the larger discussion around Huang's dire warning on US-China tech war.

Despite these constraints, China has made visible strides. From homegrown large language models to AI-powered robots, its tech firms are pushing forward. The Shanghai conference floor, dominated by Chinese giants like Huawei and Alibaba alongside nimble startups such as Unitree, underscores the nation’s relentless momentum. We've even seen Free Chinese AI claims to beat GPT-5.

Fragmentation or Framework?

The reality is that global AI governance currently resembles a global wild west: a mess of overlapping rules, political interests and fast-moving technologies. China's proposal aims to bring a measure of order to this complexity. Whether it succeeds will depend on trust, transparency, and its ability to present itself as an open partner rather than an aspiring gatekeeper.

And therein lies the rub. For many Western policymakers, China's track record on digital surveillance and censorship raises questions about its credibility as a neutral arbiter. Yet for countries in the Global South, the offer of shared tools, open access, and an equal seat at the table may well be too good to pass up.

Could Shanghai become the new Geneva for AI governance? That remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that China is no longer content to merely play catch-up in the AI race. It wants to write the rules. And the rest of the world will now have to decide whether to follow, resist, or try to meet halfway.