China is betting on open source and distribution to anchor its AI technologies in the Global South, offering downloadable models, permissive licenses and training aimed at developing countries. This strategy, spotlighted at the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, is turning a technical debate into a tool of foreign policy.
Infrastructure diplomacy around AI
On 17 July 2026, President Xi Jinping urged countries to “seize this rare and historic opportunity,” calling for open source, openness and cooperation. A day earlier, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that representatives from 29 countries had signed an agreement to create an intergovernmental body, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, headquartered in Shanghai. The founding members include, among others, countries from Asia, Africa and the Americas.
