At a Monday press briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the World AI Conference (WAIC) 2026 and its accompanying high-level meeting on global AI governance — held in Shanghai from July 17–20 — produced “a series of important outcomes.”
Key outcomes from WAIC 2026
Lin said the conference, which brought together official representatives from more than 100 countries and international organizations as well as industry, academic and research stakeholders, helped clarify the direction of global AI governance. Among five advances cited were narrowing the global AI divide, forging broad consensus on governance principles, and strengthening international cooperation in AI development.
A step toward a World AI Cooperation Organization
The Chinese delegation highlighted “major progress” in preparations to establish a World AI Cooperation Organization. Lin did not provide a timeline or structural details at the briefing, but said the conference moved this collective project forward.
Diplomatic scope and political engagement
The WAIC 2026 opening ceremony featured President Xi Jinping, who delivered a keynote address, the ministry noted. The strong international turnout — representatives from over 100 countries and organizations — was presented by the spokesperson as evidence that AI is being treated as a global issue requiring coordinated responses.
China’s position: AI as an international public good
Lin framed China as a “responsible power” willing to provide international public goods related to AI. He emphasized a human-centered approach and the principle of developing AI “for the positive and for the good,” aiming to build a fair governance system that promotes shared prosperity.
What are the concrete next steps?
The spokesperson described the conference conclusions as political and diplomatic milestones: clarified orientations, expanded consensus and institutional advances. The statement did not, however, specify immediate operational measures or an implementation timeline for initiatives announced at the conference.
In short
WAIC 2026 served as a platform to align state and non-state actors around common AI governance goals and to push for the creation of an international body dedicated to AI cooperation. For now, the announcements are largely political and forward-looking; translating them into concrete agreements and effective mechanisms will depend on subsequent negotiation and implementation steps.
