Xi Jinping will make his first public appearance at the Shanghai AI Summit this Friday and deliver an inaugural address, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. The conference—promoted as China’s flagship event on artificial intelligence—runs July 17–20.
Xi and the global AI governance initiative
State media have highlighted Xi’s Global Initiative on AI Governance, framing it as a pledge by China to “promote AI for good and for all through concrete actions, and help the Global South strengthen capacity-building.” That initiative is being presented as the central theme of the presidential speech.
A Shanghai AI Summit at the heart of tech diplomacy
The World AI Conference in Shanghai, cited as the centerpiece of China’s AI calendar, will provide the platform for the address. The president’s presence is intended to raise the profile of the governance initiative and signal Beijing’s official stance on the “responsible” use of AI.
Themes to watch in the address
Based on official briefings, the speech is expected to stress AI “for the common good” and capacity-building support for countries in the Global South. The precise tone and policy detail will only be clear once Xi speaks on Friday.
At the Shanghai AI Summit’s opening, attention will focus both on concrete proposals and on political theater: the event is a public stage for China to articulate its approach to AI governance and to position itself as a partner for the Global South.
