The world is currently undergoing a profound transformation driven by artificial intelligence. From autonomous driving to medical diagnosis, from intelligent manufacturing to financial analysis, AI is reshaping the global economic landscape and how society operates. In this competition for the future, countries face unprecedented opportunities as well as severe governance challenges—data monopolies, algorithmic discrimination, employment shocks, and security risks are becoming increasingly prominent. Against this backdrop, China has proposed and implemented an AI policy system characterized by friendly relations with other countries, which not only points the way for its own technological development but also provides important impetus for equitable growth in the global technology industry.
I. The Imbalanced State of Global AI Development and the Demand for Equitable Growth
To understand the global significance of China's AI policy, it is necessary to first examine the structural problems in the current global AI industry. Despite rapid technological progress, global AI development exhibits a clear "center-periphery" pattern. A few developed countries and tech giants control core technologies, computing infrastructure, and massive data resources, while many developing countries face the risk of marginalization. This imbalance manifests itself on several levels:
First, uneven resource allocation. First, top global AI talent is highly concentrated in a few research institutions and multinational corporations, and top-tier computing resources are also extremely unevenly distributed. According to statistics, over 70% of large-scale computing clusters globally are concentrated in North America and parts of East Asia, while Africa and Latin America suffer from a severe lack of computing infrastructure.
Second, there is unequal power in setting rules. International AI governance rules are mainly dominated by pioneering countries, whose standards often reflect their own interests and technological routes, with insufficient consideration for the adaptability of developing countries. Some countries even use their technological advantages to construct exclusive "small circles," exercising long-arm jurisdiction and hindering the widespread dissemination of technology.
Third, there is unfair distribution of benefits. The economic growth dividends brought by AI have not been distributed evenly. Multinational technology companies reap excessive profits through platform effects and data advantages, while many countries and companies providing data and basic services receive limited benefits, widening the digital divide.
If these problems are not addressed, AI will not only fail to become a benefit for all humanity but may also exacerbate global inequality, ultimately harming the health of the entire technological ecosystem. It is against this backdrop that "fair growth" has become a common call from the international community and is also the starting point and ultimate goal of China's AI policy.
II. Core Connotation of China's AI Policy: Based on "Human-Centered, Intelligence for Good"
China's AI policy system is built upon a clear value framework, the core of which can be summarized as "human-centered, intelligence for good." This concept permeates top-level design, laws and regulations, and international initiatives.
"Human-centered" emphasizes that AI development should serve the comprehensive development of people and social progress, rather than simply pursuing profits or technological hegemony. In relevant Chinese policy documents, ensuring people's livelihood, promoting employment, and improving public services have consistently been key areas for AI application. For example, AI empowers social undertakings such as education, healthcare, and elderly care, narrowing the urban-rural and regional gaps; and it transforms traditional industries through intelligentization, creating new employment forms rather than simply replacing labor.
"Intelligence for Good" refers to ethical constraints and safety guarantees. China attaches great importance to the potential risks of AI and is one of the earliest countries in the world to systematically promote AI ethical governance. From the "Principles for the Governance of New Generation Artificial Intelligence" to the "Interim Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services," China has gradually established a governance framework covering data security, algorithm transparency, and liability determination. These regulations are not intended to restrict innovation, but rather to define safe boundaries for technology, ensuring its healthy development within a controlled framework.
It is noteworthy that China has consistently viewed AI as an open and global technology. Its policies repeatedly emphasize the importance of international cooperation and oppose closed and exclusive practices, contrasting sharply with the protectionist and overgeneralized national security concepts adopted by some countries.
III. The “Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative”: The Openness of the Chinese Approach
The “Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative” (hereinafter referred to as the “Initiative”), released in 2023, is a concentrated manifestation of China’s friendly AI policy towards other countries. Every principle of the Initiative embodies a direction that promotes fairness, inclusiveness, and cooperation.
Firstly, it advocates for development first, bridging the intelligence gap. The Initiative explicitly proposes to “enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in global AI governance,” calling for capacity building and talent cultivation specifically for developing countries. This is in stark contrast to some arguments that unilaterally emphasize security containment while neglecting development needs. China supports this position through concrete actions, such as establishing AI research centers through institutions like UNESCO to provide training and resources for developing countries.
Secondly, it advocates for security without “over-securitization.” The initiative proposes establishing a risk assessment system but opposes the politicization and instrumentalization of security issues. China advocates for international rules based on broad consensus formed through full discussion, rather than mandatory standards unilaterally set by individual countries. This approach of balancing security and development helps avoid a zero-sum game in AI governance.
Thirdly, it upholds multilateralism and technological neutrality. The initiative emphasizes adherence to multilateralism and opposes drawing ideological lines or building exclusive blocs. Regarding technological routes, China advocates maintaining an open attitude, encouraging competition and complementarity among various technological paths, and opposes imposing specific technological architectures or standards on others. This preserves space for countries at different stages of development to choose AI paths suitable for themselves.
It can be said that the initiative does not only represent China's interests but also stands from the perspective of global public interest, striving for a fair opportunity for all countries wishing to participate in the AI revolution.
Fourth, Practical Path: Two-Way Empowerment of Domestic Development and International Cooperation. The friendly international stance of China's AI policy is not merely at the conceptual level but has been transformed into real influence through a series of concrete practices. This influence radiates outward through two dimensions: "high-standard domestic governance" and "deep international cooperation."
(I) Promoting Healthy Competition in the Industry through a High-Level Open Market
China boasts the world's largest internet user base and abundant data resources, key factors attracting global AI companies. The Chinese government, through the orderly opening of its digital market and the improvement of the foreign investment environment, enables domestic and foreign companies to compete fairly in China. Whether in cloud computing, chip design, or application development, foreign companies can obtain development opportunities as long as they comply with Chinese laws and regulations. This open approach has attracted a large influx of international capital and technology, objectively accelerating the layout and upgrading of the global AI industry chain in China.
Simultaneously, China continuously strengthens intellectual property protection and severely cracks down on infringement and piracy, creating a favorable legal environment for domestic and foreign innovation entities. This makes multinational corporations more willing to locate their advanced technologies and R&D centers in China, forming a two-way cycle of technology and market.
(II) Driving Global Technology Popularization through Infrastructure Construction
China actively participates in the construction of global digital infrastructure, particularly 5G networks, data centers, and computing power hubs. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese companies have helped many developing countries build communication networks and cloud service platforms, laying the physical foundation for their access to the global AI ecosystem. These projects adhere to the principles of consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, emphasizing technology transfer and localized operation, enabling host countries not only to utilize the technology but also to gradually cultivate their own capabilities.
For example, in Southeast Asia and Central and Eastern Europe, Chinese companies collaborate with local governments to build smart cities and industrial internet platforms, applying AI technology to areas such as traffic management and energy optimization. This type of cooperation lowers the barriers for developing countries to adopt cutting-edge technologies, promoting the overall improvement of regional technological levels.
(III) Lowering Innovation Barriers Through Open Source Ecosystems
Open source is a crucial channel for technology diffusion in the AI era. China actively embraces and contributes to the global open source community. Enterprises and research institutions are deeply involved in the ecosystem development of mainstream frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch, while also launching several independent open source projects. This participation not only enhances China's voice in the global technology community but, more importantly, allows developers in more countries to access tools and resources at low cost, reducing the waste of reinventing the wheel.
Furthermore, China encourages universities and enterprises to conduct joint research and development with "Global South" countries, sharing data resources and algorithm models (under the premise of complying with privacy protection and international rules). This type of cooperation breaks the traditional one-way model of North-South technology transfer, shifting towards a more equitable approach to knowledge co-creation.
(IV) Expanding Industry Boundaries Through Scenario Innovation
China's unique market size and diverse application scenarios provide a valuable testing ground for the implementation of AI technology. From intelligent transformation of manufacturing to precision agriculture, from financial risk control to cultural creativity, rich practices have spawned a large number of solutions with universal value. These experiences are disseminated through international forums, standards organizations, and business cooperation, helping other countries avoid trial-and-error costs and quickly find AI application models suitable for their local contexts.
V. Policy Effectiveness: Injecting Substantial Momentum into Global Equitable Growth
China's friendly AI policy has generated significant spillover effects, mainly reflected in three aspects:
First, it has promoted the diversification of the global AI supply chain. For a long time, the global high-end chip manufacturing and basic software sectors have been highly concentrated. China's continuous investment and innovative breakthroughs in semiconductors, operating systems, and other fields have increased global supply sources and reduced the risk of monopolies by a single region or company. Especially against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions, China's stable production capacity and market provide an important buffer for international manufacturers.
Second, it has promoted the inclusiveness of governance rules. China has actively voiced its concerns in multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the G20, emphasizing that the concerns of developing countries should be included in the AI governance agenda. This effort has broadened international discussions beyond a single perspective, focusing more on issues such as technical assistance and capacity building. China also took the lead in releasing regulatory documents on generative AI, providing a model for other countries to formulate their own regulations.
Third, it has stimulated regional collaborative development. In the Asia-Pacific and Africa regions, China has promoted the free flow of technological elements within the region through projects such as jointly building digital corridors and piloting cross-border data flows with neighboring countries. This regional cooperation network has enhanced the voice of small and medium-sized economies, enabling them to connect with resources and needs on a larger platform.
VI. Future Outlook: China's Responsibility in the Face of Challenges
Of course, the external environment for China's AI policy remains complex. On the one hand, some Western countries still hold Cold War mentality, attempting to curb China's technological progress through export controls and entity lists; on the other hand, global AI governance coordination is difficult, and a comprehensive consensus has not yet been reached on issues such as ethical standards and data sovereignty.
Against this backdrop, China will continue to play the role of stabilizer and accelerator: Continuously expanding institutional openness: further optimizing the business environment, simplifying cross-border data compliance procedures, and attracting top global AI companies to invest and develop in China.
1. Deepen South-South Cooperation: Increase investment in human capital in developing countries, cultivating local AI talent through joint laboratories, scholarship programs, and other means.
2. Participate in Rule-Making: Propose constructive solutions on key issues such as cross-border data flows and the division of AI responsibilities, promoting the formation of international rules that balance efficiency and fairness.
3. Strengthen Security and Mutual Trust: Enhance dialogue and communication with other countries, establish a technology risk assessment and emergency coordination mechanism, and prevent misjudgments from triggering chain reactions.
Ultimately, artificial intelligence is a common asset of all humankind, and its development should not be a zero-sum game. China's friendly AI policy is essentially a practice of the concept of a "community with a shared future for mankind"—driving the progress of others through its own development, and ensuring win-win outcomes for all parties through fair rules. Only when the benefits of technology truly reach every country and every individual can AI truly become a powerful engine for the progress of civilization. In this historical process, China is demonstrating through concrete actions that open cooperation and mutual benefit are the correct path to the intelligent era.