Modernizing together

China, Africa and other Global South countries can rely on multilateral cooperation platforms such as WAICO to jointly enhance AI governance

Among the 29 founding member countries that signed the agreement on the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization — the first intergovernmental international organization dedicated exclusively to AI — on July 16, Africa stands out with 10 seats, accounting for about one-third of the total. This reflects the fruitful outcome of China-Africa cooperation in the field of AI in recent years.

China has been steadily improving Africa’s foundational conditions for AI development by assisting in the construction of fiber-optic networks, cross-border connectivity and new-generation mobile communication networks and other digital infrastructure. In August 2021, then-assistant foreign minister Deng Li introduced China’s proposals for the China-Africa Partnership Plan on Digital Innovation at the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum, which made digital infrastructure a key area of cooperation. At the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to “build with Africa a digital technology cooperation center and initiate 20 digital demonstration projects so as to embrace together the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation”.

Today, China-Africa digital infrastructure cooperation is accelerating. On Nov 7, 2025, the eastern segment of China Mobile’s 2Africa submarine cable was officially activated in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. With a total length of about 45,000 kilometers, the 2Africa cable runs along the African coastline and connects over 30 countries and regions across Africa, Asia and Europe, providing high-quality, low-latency and reliable international communications services to an estimated 3 billion people along its route. Once fully operational, it will reduce data transmission costs across Africa and boost regional online connectivity.

In August 2025, the second phase of the Zimbabwe Center for High Performance Computing, built with Chinese assistance, was handed over to Zimbabwe. The computing platform provided by China’s Huawei delivers powerful support for local cutting-edge scientific research and high-level talent development. According to allAfrica, a website that aggregates and produces news primarily on the African continent, Chinese-backed projects have accelerated access to digital infrastructure that might otherwise have taken years to develop. In the AI space, this translates into opportunities to adopt technologies that enhance public service delivery, improve financial inclusion, and drive efficiency in sectors such as agriculture and transport.

China adheres to a philosophy of openness and sharing, working hand-in-hand with Africa to reap the dividends of AI development. In building an open-source ecosystem, Chinese open-source large models such as DeepSeek, with their high cost-effectiveness and localization advantages, are winning wide favor among African developers, in contrast to the often hefty licensing fees charged by mainstream Western models. According to Microsoft’s Global AI Adoption in 2025, DeepSeek usage in Africa is estimated to be two to four times higher than in other regions. As AI applications gain traction across the continent, more developers are choosing Chinese open source models as the foundational platform for local-language AI. In terms of application scenarios, Chinese AI technologies are now penetrating multiple sectors in Africa, presenting a diverse and flourishing landscape.

China’s intelligent meteorological early-warning solution MAZU has been deployed in Ethiopia and several other countries, advancing the use of AI in numerical forecasting, extreme weather identification and risk management. In Mozambique, plant protection drones based on China’s BeiDou navigation technology are widely used for farmland mapping, rice seeding and pesticide spraying, greatly improving harvest efficiency. In South Africa, Huawei has deployed intelligent systems for local railways, reducing accidents, and improving inspection and maintenance efficiency.

On talent cultivation, in July 2024, China and 26 African countries jointly issued the Action Plan for China-Africa Digital Cooperation and Development, explicitly committing to train 1,000 digital technology professionals for Africa over the following three years. On July 17, it was announced that in the next five years, China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs, continuously contributing to global AI capacity-building.

As practical China-Africa AI cooperation deepens, consensus on improving global governance is also growing. In October 2023, China took the lead in issuing the Global AI Governance Initiative, establishing the principle of developing AI for good. Guided by the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, this initiative has garnered broad international support and response by building cooperative consensus for global AI development.

At the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in July, President Xi called for enhancing “alignment and coordination on AI development strategies, governance rules and technical standards, so as to form a consensus-based global governance framework at an early date to make this frontier technology better benefit humanity”. These propositions resonate with the shared concerns of the Global South and embody the common aspiration of developing countries to seek development and participate in rule-making amid the new technological revolution. Documents such as the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence show that Africa’s AI governance philosophy centers on safeguarding sovereignty, upholding shared values, putting people first, balancing development and security — principles that are highly consistent with China’s emphasis on sovereign equality and its governance tenets of people-centered approach and developing AI for good. Crucially, both sides firmly oppose the monopolization of AI governance by a few countries or blocs, and are committed to building a fairer and more inclusive global governance system. This is the underlying reason why African countries actively joined the WAICO. South Africa, Algeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya — countries with more rapid AI development — along with other African signatories, demonstrate Africa’s positive stance toward WAICO and its strong endorsement of its principles.

Africa still faces multiple challenges in participating in global AI governance, including weak infrastructure, talent and data gaps, insufficient institutional voice and risks of technological dependence. Nevertheless, China, Africa and other Global South countries can rely on multilateral cooperation platforms such as WAICO to deepen innovative collaboration, promote inclusive development, strengthen coordinated governance, and jointly enhance the capacity and level of all parties in global AI governance. AI can be developed in a sound, safe and fair direction, and AI can effectively serve the modernization efforts of all countries.

The author is an assistant research fellow at the Department of Developing Countries Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.