By liang Zheng
On July 26th, the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Conference on Global AI Governance released the Global AI Governance Action Plan.
The Action Plan outlines six core principles and 13 concrete actions, reflecting a wide range of international consensus. We are poised to inject new momentum into the global development and governance of AI technology.
From consensus to implementation
Today's world is a vital moment in AI development and governance. On the one hand, AI technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, quickly approaching “technological specificity” that calls for urgent global cooperation to seize opportunities and mitigate new risks. (Editor's note: Technical Specificity is a theoretical scenario in which technology growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible.)
Meanwhile, there is growing international consensus on the need for AI governance, but it remains at the lowest common denominator level – fragile, weak and binding, and uneven in implementation.
In this context, the joint release of an action plan with Chinese international partners represents an important and timely step in converting shared values into shared actions.
In October 2023, China advocated the Global AI Governance Initiative and outlined 11 proposals on AI development, security and governance. Currently, less than two years later, the transition from initiative to action plans reflects China's continued commitment and increased contributions to advances in global AI governance.
AI as an international public good
China has always sought to use AI technology to function as an international public good for everyone. This is more than rhetoric. This is a guide vision supported by concrete measurements.
In the Action Plan, the term “global” appears 20 times and “international” appears 16 times. Words such as “cooperation” and “exchange” occur 21 times, but related expressions such as “sharing”, “community building”, and “group effort” appear 29 times. Each of the Action Plans actions is designed as a globally coordinated effort that fully embodies the spirit of global solidarity in the age of AI.
In contrast, just three days before the release of the Action Plan, the White House issued its own “Win the Race: America's AI Action Plan.” It calls for the US enemy to prevent “freely ride in innovation and investment,” countering the influence of certain countries in international governance organizations, strengthening enforcement of AI calculated export controls, imposing strong export controls on sensitive technologies, and encouraging partners and allies to follow US control.
The geopolitical undertones are unmistakable.
For AI
Development is the ultimate goal of AI governance. That governance should not become a tool for technical competition or geopolitical manipulation. Instead, it must be a bridge that connects the different needs of the country with the development stages. It guides technological advances to truly serve human well-being in areas such as poverty alleviation and public health.
Therefore, the Action Plan is set as one of the objectives and principles “increasing AI for good and in the service of humanity.” It advocates promoting innovative development of AI and promoting AI empowerment across sectors such as agriculture and poverty reduction. You need a resource-saving, eco-friendly development model. An open, comprehensive and diverse innovation ecosystem. Greater international cooperation on AI capacity building.
This governance for development approach reflects China's new development philosophy, emphasizing innovation, coordination, green growth, openness and sharing.
China's Vision and Responsibility
Action plans are advanced, rich in original and practical suggestions.
Conceptually, it pioneers ideas for sustainable AI, seeks international standards for energy and water efficiency, and promotes green computing technologies such as low-power chips and efficient algorithms.
In fact, they are seeking to promote AI response transformation in manufacturing, consumption, commerce, healthcare, education, agriculture and poverty reduction. It also needs to accelerate digital infrastructure and promote the co-creation of high-quality datasets through global partnerships.
Furthermore, for open source innovation, Action Plans outlines steps to build a global compliance system and promote open sharing of development resources such as technology and API documentation, paving the way for wider collaboration.
Together, these innovative and practical efforts illustrate China's commitment to both wisdom and responsibility as a major nation in the world.
Editor's Note: The author is a professor in the Faculty of Public Policy and Management at Tinga University. He is also the Associate Dean of the Institute for AI International Governance at Twin Island University.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Xinhua News Agency.■
