China pitches global AI governance group as the US goes it alone

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The World Artificial Intelligence Conference light show takes place outside The River Mall building in Shanghai, China, on July 27, 2025. – Costfoto/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

China has proposed a global action plan to govern artificial intelligence, just days after the United States unveiled its own plan to promote US dominance of the rapidly growing field that’s become a key bargaining chip in trade talks between the economic powerhouses.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang unveiled China’s vision for future AI oversight at the World AI Conference (WAIC), an annual gathering in Shanghai of tech titans from more than 40 countries.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 26, 2025. – Agatha Cantrill/AFP/Getty Images

“Overall, global AI governance is still fragmented. Countries have great differences, particularly in terms of areas such as regulatory concepts, institutional rules,” said Li in his speech on Saturday. “We should strengthen coordination to form a global AI governance framework that has broad consensus as soon as possible.”

Li’s remarks came just days after the Trump administration unveiled its 28-page AI action plan, which aims to remove “bureaucratic red tape” and establish US dominance in the sector.

While Li did not directly refer to the US in his speech, he alluded to the ongoing trade tensions between the two superpowers, which include American restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports — a component vital for powering and training AI, which is currently causing a shortage in China.

“Key resources and capabilities are concentrated in a few countries and a few enterprises,” said Li in his speech on Saturday. “If we engage in technological monopoly, controls and restrictions, AI will become an exclusive game for a small number of countries and enterprises.”