CCTV News (Topics in Focus): On July 17, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance at the Grand Halls in Shanghai and delivered a keynote speech. Facing the new wave of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, President Xi reflected deeply on the immense opportunities and governance challenges brought by AI, systematically elaborating China’s propositions and solutions for advancing global AI development and governance, and gathering to discuss how to promote AI globally for the positive, for good and for humanity.
Yao Xu, Secretary-General of the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance (CGAIG) and Associate Professor at the Fudan Development Institute, Fudan University, was interviewed.
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
On the morning of July 17, 2026, by the Huangpu River at the Shanghai Expo Centre, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance. Against the backdrop of major changes unseen in a century accelerating across the world, the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation advancing at a faster pace, and amid the new wave of AI development, the world’s attention turned to Shanghai.
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity
Wei Kai, Director of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT): “President Xi Jinping’s attendance at the opening ceremony and his keynote speech comprehensively elaborated China’s position. This fully demonstrates China’s great importance attached to global AI development and governance, and also highlights China’s firm determination to promote the building of a just, equitable, inclusive and mutually beneficial global AI governance system.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Xue Lan, Dean of the Institute for AI International Governance, Tsinghua University: “President Xi placed the development of artificial intelligence within the broader course of history. He did not discuss AI merely from the perspective of AI itself, but situated it within the historical process of scientific and technological development and the development of humanity as a whole. This reflects a historical perspective. Secondly, it reflects a global perspective—not simply focusing on China’s AI development, but considering the broader direction of how artificial intelligence should develop worldwide.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Today, the world has entered an unprecedented period of active innovation inon AI technologies. Intelligent connectivity, human-machine collaboration, cross-sector integration, joint creation and sharing, and other intelligent technologies are unleashing enormous power. All this carries within it great opportunities as well as challenges to governance. In his speech, President Xi raised four questions posed by our times: How to get along with thinking machines? How to ensure security when an algorithmalgorithm is part of decision making? How to tackle ethical challenges posed byby technologies through adaptive governance? How to realize AI for all when the divide keeps widening?
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Xue Lan: “These four questions raised by President Xi are precisely the issues that researchers of AI development and governance around the world need to focus on together today. They clearly identify the situation facing AI development and the challenges that must be addressed.”
These questions are not only “questions for China,” but also “questions for the world” faced by all countries amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
How should the questions of our times be answered? China’s answer is that all countries should take a people-centered approach and develop AI for the positive and for good, focus on ensuring that AI is an important driver for shared prosperity and common security, and join hands to build a just and equitable system for global AI governance. In his speech, President Xi shared four observations:
First, we should adhere to the principle of openness and win-win and boost innovation-driven development.
Second, we should strengthen risk-awareness and ensure that AI is secure and controllable.
Third, we should encourage inclusiveness and promote mutual learning between civilizations.
Fourth, we should advocate solidarity and improve global governance.
Huo Fupeng, Director of The Department of Innovation and High-Tech Development of the National Development and Reform Commission:“The proposals put forward by President Xi are far-sighted and profound in meaning. As artificial intelligence technology enters a period of accelerated evolution, there is an urgent need for the international community to jointly determine the direction of development. AI is rapidly empowering industries across sectors, but coordinated governance must also be accelerated.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Xue Lan: “When artificial intelligence develops globally, people may naturally have concerns. This is especially true for many developing countries, where certain languages and cultures may not receive sufficient representation. Therefore, emphasizing inclusiveness and mutual learning among civilizations is particularly important. This is also China’s consistent position, with particular emphasis on inclusive and equitable development.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
President Xi’s four proposals anchor the direction of global AI development and governance from four dimensions—development, security, civilization, and governance—and have received broad recognition from various parties.
Xue Lan: “Currently, many narratives in Europe and the United States portray China and the United States as engaged in direct competition in artificial intelligence. President Xi’s speech made it very clear that China’s development of artificial intelligence aims for the positive and for good, creating inclusive opportunities and clearly articulating the fundamental goal of AI development.”
How can this fine steed of AI gallop with both speed and stability? China has consistently explored its own approach to AI development. In 2016, artificial intelligence was incorporated into the Outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development. In 2017, China released the Development Plan on the New Generation of Artificial Intelligence. In 2021, the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 further identified “new-generation artificial intelligence” as one of the seven major frontier technology areas for breakthroughs. In 2025, the recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development proposed the comprehensive implementation of the “AI Plus” Initiative. From autonomous vehicles and large AI models for educational assessment, to intelligent medical diagnosis and smart home assistants, artificial intelligence has already become integrated into the daily lives of Chinese citizens. China’s new-generation artificial intelligence sector is demonstrating strong vitality, with the core industries of the intelligent economy exceeding one trillion yuan in scale.
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Huo Fupeng: “Globally, artificial intelligence has entered a new stage of large-scale application and deep empowerment. As a country among the global leaders in AI development, China is leveraging its advantages in a complete industrial system, extensive application scenarios, and a vast-scale market. Through the implementation of the ‘AI Plus’ Initiative, China is accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence into industries across sectors.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Galloping with both speed and stability, China lays great emphasis on safety and security in AI development. With a deep understanding of the trends and logic of AI development, China is continuously improving laws, regulations, policies, mechanisms, application norms, as well as ethical principles to make sure that AI is safe, secure and controllable. As a responsible major country, China is always committed to providing international public goods relating to AI. From proposing the Global AI Governance Initiative, to promoting the adoption of the U.N. General Assembly Resolution on Enhancing International Cooperation on Capacity Building of Artificial Intelligence by consensus; from publishing the AI Capacity Building Action Plan for Good and for All and announcing the AI Plus International Cooperation Initiative, to advocating for establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), China has been contributing steadily to the global AI governance. By promoting open-source sharing, China has become one of the world’s most active and fastest-growing regions in the supply of open-source large language models. By pursuing innovation through openness, China is accelerating AI innovation and application, helping address numerous global challenges.
A single string cannot make music, and a single tree does not make a forest. Just one day before the opening of this conference, the signing ceremony of the Agreement on the Establishment of theThe World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization was held in Shanghai. The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization was established in Shanghai, representing a major initiative by China in response to the calls of the Global South and in mobilizing the international community to actively promote AI development and governance. It will become an important milestone in the history of artificial intelligence development.
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Xue Lan: “Global AI governance covers many areas, including how to promote capacity building and inclusive development. We hope that, within the broader framework of the United Nations, countries can unite and take concrete measures, with particular emphasis on translating commitments into action. China is a very typical example of a country that has put forward specific measures to advance this agenda.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
On the opening day of the conference, China also released two new documents: the Action Plan for AI Cooperation and Development and the Action Plan on International AI Ethics Governance. The former proposes eight major actions in areas including data, computing power, and governance, such as improving high-quality data supply and promoting inclusive access to intelligent computing resources. The latter focuses on areas including full-lifecycle ethical governance of artificial intelligence and classified and graded risk prevention and control, calling on countries to strengthen policy coordination and practical cooperation. China continues to contribute its wisdom to improving the global AI governance system.
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
Yao Xu, Secretary-General of the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance (CGAIG) and Associate Professor at the Fudan Development Institute, Fudan University:“Global AI governance has moved from the previous stage of numerous initiatives, various rules, and fragmented discussions into a new stage of substantive cooperation focused on implementation and practical application.”
Image source: CCTV.com, Focus Report, July 18, 2026 — “Promoting AI for the Positive, for Good and for Humanity”
To further support global AI development and advance global AI capacity building, President Xi announced in his speech that in the next five years, China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs; develop international AI application cooperation centers with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS; and enable 30 countries to use the AI-powered meteorological warning system, or MAZU.
With AI advancing at a staggering speed, we must ensure its development is for the positive, for good and for humanity. We must make its oversight and governance precise and effective, and constantly refine measures to forestall loss of control. We should always guide AI development with human wisdom and international consensus, so that AI can truly become a mighty force that increases the well-being of humanity and advances human civilization. President Xi Jinping’s speech has charted the course for global AI governance and innovative development, generating strong responses both domestically and internationally.
On the afternoon of the opening day of the conference alone, more than 20 forums related to artificial intelligence were held on both banks of the Huangpu River. Inside the AI conference exhibition halls, crowds gathered. AI experts, practitioners, and entrepreneurs from around the world converged in Shanghai. They are working together to make artificial intelligence an important driving force for promoting common prosperity and safeguarding common security. Standing at a new historical starting point, all parties are joining hands to seize and address the opportunities and challenges brought by AI development, and to ensure that human wisdom and international consensus continue to guide artificial intelligence. Together, they will enable AI to truly become a powerful positive force that enhances the well-being of all humanity and advances human civilization, working collectively to create a better future for human society!
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