In a significant move to shape the future of artificial intelligence on the global stage, China has unveiled a comprehensive strategy advocating for more equitable and inclusive AI governance. This initiative, highlighted by a July 2026 white paper titled “More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China’s Principles, Proposals and Actions,” underscores Beijing’s commitment to fostering international cooperation in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The current push builds upon earlier proposals, notably the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) first put forth by Premier Li Qiang in July 2025, signaling a sustained and evolving diplomatic effort.
A New Framework for Global AI Governance
In releasing the July 2026 white paper, Foreign Minister Wang Yi articulated China’s vision for a collaborative approach to AI development. He emphasized that China intends to work alongside other nations to explore novel governance models that ensure AI’s development is safe, inclusive, and ultimately beneficial for all. This stance is not merely theoretical; it is backed by a 13-point Global AI Governance Action Plan that accompanied the initial WAICO proposal in 2025. The plan seeks to establish a framework in which AI serves humanity, respects national sovereignty, and promotes development, while ensuring safety, controllability, fairness, inclusivity, and open cooperation.
The principles underpinning WAICO are designed to guide the ethical and practical deployment of AI technologies worldwide. These include a strong emphasis on using AI for good and for the people, ensuring that technological advancements contribute positively to societal well-being. The principle of respecting sovereignty acknowledges the diverse regulatory environments worldwide and advocates a multilateral approach that accommodates national interests. Furthermore, a development-oriented approach seeks to leverage AI as a tool for economic growth and social progress, particularly in developing nations.
Safety and controllability are paramount, addressing potential risks and ensuring AI systems remain under human oversight. Finally, fairness, inclusivity, and open cooperation aim to prevent digital divides and encourage a collaborative ecosystem where knowledge and resources are shared. This comprehensive approach reflects China’s broader diplomatic efforts, including a renewed US-China AI dialogue, a strategic imperative for national security that seeks common ground in this critical domain.
Operationalizing International AI Cooperation
WAICO’s operational goals are ambitious and multifaceted, aiming to translate these principles into tangible actions. The organization seeks to deepen innovation cooperation by establishing a supply-and-demand matching platform that facilitates the exchange of AI technologies and expertise between countries and institutions. Another critical objective is to promote inclusive development, with a particular focus on empowering the Global South to harness AI for its unique developmental challenges.
This aligns with China’s consistent advocacy for a more balanced global technological landscape. Lastly, WAICO aims to strengthen collaborative governance by aligning development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards across borders, fostering a harmonized international environment for AI.
These efforts are not isolated. They are part of a broader trend toward international data and technology governance. For instance, the World Data Organization, launched in Beijing in March 2026, already boasts 233 members, including 70 founding members from 14 industries. This organization serves as a precedent for multilateral data management cooperation, providing a potential blueprint for WAICO’s structure and operations.
Furthermore, China’s commitment to global AI governance was evident in the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/78/311, adopted by consensus on July 1, 2024. This China-proposed resolution, co-sponsored by over 140 nations, marked the UN’s first dedicated resolution on AI capacity-building, laying foundational groundwork for future international initiatives.
Open-Source AI as a Global Public Good
Central to China’s vision is the promotion of open-source and accessible AI as a common asset for humanity. Ambassador Wang Wenbin, in a July 11, 2026 post, explicitly stated, “Open-source and accessible AI is humanity’s common asset. China actively acts on this principle.”” This declaration is supported by concrete actions within China’s burgeoning open-source ecosystem. Leading Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, with its Qwen “open-weight model family,” and DeepSeek, have made significant AI models freely available to the global community. This commitment to open-source development is not merely a gesture; it is a strategic move to accelerate global AI innovation and ensure broader participation.
Data from Stanford University further substantiates China’s growing influence in the open-source AI domain. In 2025, China released 30 benchmark AI models, ranking second globally in terms of contributions to the open-source community. Chinese open-source large models are increasingly topping global rankings, demonstrating both the quantity and quality of their contributions.
This emphasis on open-source aligns with the broader goal of making AI technologies accessible and preventing monopolization, fostering an environment where innovation can flourish globally. It also reflects China’s delicate balance between fostering innovation and implementing controls, a challenge explored in depth in discussions such as Beijing’s tightrope walk: balancing AI innovation with export control.
WAIC 2026: A Nexus for Global AI Dialogue
Further solidifying its role as a key player in global AI discourse, China is preparing to host the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai from July 17-20. This year’s conference is set to be an unprecedented event, spanning 100,000 square meters across three major venues: the World Expo Center, West Bund, and Zhangjiang. With over 1,100 exhibitors and more than 3,000 exhibits, WAIC 2026 will showcase the latest advancements and breakthroughs in AI technology. A significant portion of these exhibits, over 300, will be global debuts, highlighting the conference’s importance as a platform for launching cutting-edge innovations.
The intellectual depth of WAIC 2026 is equally impressive, featuring over 140 forums and attracting more than 1,400 guests and speakers from around the world. The institutional perimeter of the conference includes participation from 12 national ministries, 8 national key laboratories, over 10 international organizations, and more than 20 universities. The sheer scale and breadth of participation underscore WAIC’s status as a premier global gathering for AI professionals, policymakers, and researchers.
The anticipation surrounding the event is palpable, with the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau announcing traffic control measures on inbound highways from July 10 to July 21, a move widely interpreted as a signal that President Xi Jinping may attend the conference, further elevating its international profile. This confluence of policy initiatives, open-source contributions, and high-profile events positions China at the forefront of shaping the global AI agenda.