Xi Jinping Declares AI a National Strategic Priority at His First-Ever WAIC Address

According to the South China Morning Post, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the World AI Conference in Shanghai on July 17, 2026 — his first appearance at the annual event — declaring artificial intelligence a national strategic priority and calling for a global order that keeps the technology "secure and controllable."

The address arrived the same week the Trump administration escalated tariff pressure on Chinese technology imports. Xi framed AI as carrying a "dual nature" — economic opportunity alongside governance risk — and positioned China as the natural shepherd of an open, multilateral AI framework, in explicit contrast to Washington's export control regime and its withdrawal from international AI governance forums since Trump's return to office. Thirty Chinese and global entrepreneurs, including leaders from Zhipu AI, JD.com, Sugon, and drug discovery firm Insilico Medicine, published letters alongside the speech outlining industry expectations — a coordinated industry-state signal timed to amplify the presidential appearance.

Xi's language tracks wording embedded in China's 2023 Generative AI Interim Measures, now projected to the international stage at a moment when major AI governance forums have vacated US leadership. The speech followed Trump's latest public attacks on China over tariff policy, lending Xi's call for "openness" the character of a pointed rebuttal.

Beijing has long framed itself as a responsible steward of global AI governance while defining what "responsible" means. Xi's WAIC address formalized that posture at the highest political level.

Read the full story at South China Morning Post