China's AI governance initiative

Notes

• China has launched the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) based in Shanghai, with 29 founding member countries.
• WAICO membership includes nations from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, including BRICS members Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and others like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan.
• China plans to provide 5,000 opportunities for AI training and seminars to developing countries over the next five years.
• Joint AI application cooperation centres will be established with regional blocs including ASEAN, the African Union, the League of Arab States, and the SCO.
• China promotes an open-source model for AI development to counter reliance on Western proprietary models like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude.
• Beijing cites concerns regarding the 'securitisation' of technology by Western nations and the potential for ideological 'infiltration' through foreign AI platforms.
• India, despite being a BRICS member, did not join WAICO, though it sent a delegation to the Shanghai summit.

Part of a longer story

This is day 1 of 6 in China's AI development and governance, which has been running since 18 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

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