China Proposes Global AI Cooperation Organization at APEC Summit

At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the creation of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization aimed at setting governance rules and boosting international collaboration in AI. Xi emphasized that AI should serve as a "public good for the international community" and benefit people in all countries and regions.

Chinese officials suggested that the organization could be headquartered in Shanghai, leveraging the city's position as a commercial hub.

U.S. President Donald Trump did not attend the APEC leaders' summit, having returned to Washington after a prior meeting with Xi. The two leaders had agreed on a one-year deal to partially roll back trade and technology controls, aiming to ease tensions between the world's two largest economies.

In Trump's absence, Xi promoted China as a proponent of multilateral cooperation on trade and economic development. He also called for the "free circulation" of green technologies, sectors where China holds significant influence.

APEC members approved a joint declaration and agreements on AI governance and addressing aging populations during the meeting. China is set to host the 2026 APEC summit in Shenzhen, a city that has transformed from a fishing village into a major manufacturing hub since becoming one of China's first special economic zones in the 1980s.