Xi to attend opening ceremony of 2026 World AI Conference, deliver keynote speech

BEIJING -- The 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai from July 17 to 20. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote speech, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday.

In response to a related query, Lin Jian said President Xi will systemically elaborate on China's policies, position, visions and propositions on AI development and governance when he addresses the opening ceremony of the conference themed "Intelligent Partners, Co-create the Future."

China has invited government officials and people across industries, universities and research institutes around the world, as well as heads of international organizations to share the moment together in China, Lin added.

Noting that AI technological innovation is undergoing broad-based breakthroughs and demonstrating unprecedented dynamism, Lin said that such progress brings both opportunities and challenges to the international community, making AI governance a profound topic of our times.

In recent years, in the field of AI, China has been acting on the four global initiatives and the Global AI Governance Initiative put forward by President Xi, said Lin, noting China is committed to providing international public goods, advocating AI for good and for all with real actions, and helping the Global South strengthen capacity-building, which are highly commended by the international community.

"Through this conference, China looks forward to building a platform for various parties to enhance mutual trust, pool consensus, and deepen cooperation so as to promote the sound, safe and orderly development of AI, and make this conference a milestone in the history of AI development," Lin said.