According to China's Foreign Ministry, President Xi will present China's official policies, positions, and new proposals at a high-level meeting on global regulation of AI.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to deliver a special address at the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai this Friday. This will be Xi's first physical appearance since the conference began in 2018, the South China Morning Post reported. At previous conferences, he has only sent congratulatory messages, while Premier Li Keqiang has been responsible for the opening. China is in the final stages of preparations to host a global AI conference to showcase its achievements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and further strengthen its ambition to compete with the United States in one of the world's most strategic technologies. Local media have pointed out that China is likely to further flesh out its proposal to establish a 'World AI Cooperation Organization' under its own leadership during the conference. The conference comes as Beijing is aggressively investing in AI, widely promoting domestic AI models, and trying to expand its role in the global AI race. The four-day conference will be the largest ever, according to Chinese media outlets including Xinhua. According to organizers, more than 70 countries and regions, more than 1,200 guests, more than 300 exhibition centers, and more than 800 companies will participate in the conference. More than 140 forums will be held at the conference, and more than 300 new products and technologies will be unveiled for the first time.
The event will be attended by China's leading AI companies, as well as major technology companies, researchers, policymakers, and government officials from around the world. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is also expected to attend the conference. China is holding this grand event amid growing technology competition with the United States and restrictions on the export of cutting-edge chips.
According to Stanford University’s AI Index, the performance gap between the US and China’s leading AI models had narrowed to 2.7 percentage points by March 2026. Since early 2025, the two countries have been trying to catch up with each other. While the US still leads in private investment and cutting-edge AI models, China has maintained its lead in AI research publications, patents, and the production and use of ultra-low-cost large language models and industrial robots.
According to Bloomberg,
Xi’s participation has further strengthened the political significance of the conference. “Xi’s presence sends a clear message that AI has risen to the top of China’s national priorities,” Ray Wang, an independent technology analyst and founder and chief analyst at Constellation Research, told Bloomberg. “It is clear that China is seeking to establish a leadership role not only in AI innovation but also in global regulation of AI.”
