Xi Jinping warns against ‘one country’ rule in AI, pushes global openness

President Xi Jinping on Friday opened the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), China’s largest annual AI industry event. His personal appearance raised the conference’s profile, signaling that AI development has become both a technological priority and a key part of China’s geopolitical strategy. In his speech, Xi called for “openness” in AI development and explicitly opposed “one country” rule—a clear reference to U.S. dominance in the sector. While Washington maintains strict export controls on advanced semiconductors and restricts overseas access to top AI models, Beijing has accelerated its own efforts to build independent AI capacity. The remarks highlight growing tensions between the two countries over control of emerging technology.