# Xi at WAIC: ‘Symphony’ Diplomacy Converts Model Momentum Into a Venue

Times of AI Desk · 2026-07-17 · Policy

[https://timesof.ai/2026/07/xi-jinping-waic-2026-ai-cooperation](https://timesof.ai/2026/07/xi-jinping-waic-2026-ai-cooperation)

> Xi Jinping’s first in-person WAIC appearance cast AI as a ‘symphony of global cooperation,’ opposed overstretched national-security framing, and backed a World AI Cooperation Organization (~29 countries, Shanghai HQ). Same week as Kimi K3—governance theater with industrial substance for the Global South venue.

WAIC 2026 is governance theater with industrial substance: the same week **Kimi K3** hit the open-model stack, Beijing used the presidential stage to convert model momentum into a **diplomatic product**—rules, training seats, and an intergovernmental brand. For Western labs and governments, the message is dual: China will keep racing open models **and** try to own the non-U.S. governance venue.

**President Xi Jinping** attended the opening of the **2026 World AI Conference (WAIC)** and **High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance** in **Shanghai**—his **first** in-person WAIC appearance since the event began in **2018**. In the keynote he said AI development “should not be a solo performance by any single country but rather a **symphony of global cooperation**,” opposed “**overstretching** the concept of national security” in AI, and previewed cooperation packages for the Global South. Separately, state media highlighted a **World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization** agreement involving about **29** countries, headquartered in Shanghai.

## What Xi put on the table

From Xinhua / english.gov.cn attendance confirmation, Fortune–AP, DW, and SCMP reporting:

| Theme | Substance |
|-------|-----------|
| **Attendance** | Opening ceremony, Shanghai; WAIC runs **July 17–20** |
| **Core line** | Multilateral AI development—not single-country dominance |
| **Security framing** | Reject “overstretching” national security and putting one country’s security above others (longstanding PRC critique of U.S. export controls) |
| **Partners named** | Expanded AI cooperation with ASEAN, Arab League, African Union, CELAC, SCO, BRICS |
| **Concrete pledges** | Access for **30 countries** to a Chinese AI **meteorological early-warning** tool; **5,000** AI training opportunities for developing countries over **five years** |
| **New body** | **World AI Cooperation Organization**—intergovernmental framing, Shanghai HQ; ~29 initial signatories including Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan (per AP/Fortune) |
| **Stagecraft** | Guests included leaders of Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Thailand and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres; **1,100+** companies / **1,400+** guests reported by state media |

Analysts (e.g. The Asia Group’s George Chen, quoted in Fortune) cast the organization as a counterpart to U.S.-aligned supply-chain initiatives such as **Pax Silica**, and the speech as a bid to position China as the reliable AI partner for the Global South.

## Limits

- Signatory count (~29) and org charter details are state-media / wire-relayed at opening.
- Meteorological tool and training-seat pledges are announced packages—delivery timelines incomplete here.
- “Symphony vs solo” is speech framing, not a negotiated U.S.–China tech deal.

## Sources

- Xinhua via english.www.gov.cn: “Xi attends opening ceremony of 2026 World AI Conference” (July 17, 2026)
- Fortune / Associated Press: “Xi offers AI olive branch… ‘symphony of global cooperation’” (July 17, 2026)
- DW: Xi calls for international AI cooperation at WAIC Shanghai (July 17, 2026)
- SCMP pre-event: first in-person Xi WAIC attendance announced (July 13, 2026)