The calls were made at the Global Digital and AI Forum of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), held on August 5 in South Korea.
A senior Chinese artificial intelligence official today called for greater openness and more equitable sharing of the benefits from AI, drawing a contrast with a US pitch for bilateral AI exports made at the same APEC conference in South Korea.
“China firmly supports multilateralism and promotes shared development for all,”
Xiong Jijun, China’s vice minister of industry and information technology, said at the conference co-hosted by South Korea and the World Bank.
He called on APEC countries to ensure “the stability of the global digital industry and supply chains,” and to abandon “closed or self-serving mindsets.”
His speech stood in contrast with that of White House science and technology policy director Michael Kratsios, who highlighted a new American AI Export Program and urged APEC economies to “take our offered handshake” and choose US-made AI packages tailored to each country’s needs.
Kratsios said the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, released in late July, positions AI as a tool for bilateral diplomacy, backed by financial and risk-assessment support from the US government.
Xiong didn’t mention the US in his speech, but he framed China’s approach in multilateral terms, calling for APEC member economies to “unite and cooperate” amid declining openness and global economic shifts.
“We should advance barrier-free sharing of technologies and enhance digital service capacity,” he said. “Together, we can ensure digital progress benefits all groups and supports diverse development models.”
China’s remarks at the APEC conference follow its unveiling on July 26 of a global AI governance plan that emphasizes inclusivity and positions the United Nations at the center of coordination efforts.
China has proposed establishing a Shanghai-based World AI Cooperation Organization and a set of UN-led initiatives — an International AI Scientific Panel and a Global AI Governance Dialogue to be established under the UN’s Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact — among other initiatives aimed at supporting developing countries and bridging the global digital divide.
China’s emphasis on multilateral governance and global benefit contrasts with the US plan, which asserts American leadership in setting global AI standards and discourages regulation modeled after Europe. While both countries frame their strategies around innovation and inclusivity, their diverging models — multilateralism versus strategic exports — were on display in back-to-back appearances at the APEC conference.
Source: MLex
