Xi Jinping Calls for Stronger AI Self-Reliance as China Races U.S. in Tech Development
HONG KONG, April 26 – Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to bolster China’s self-reliance and strength in artificial intelligence (AI), according to state media reports. His remarks come as China intensifies efforts to compete with the United States for leadership in this critical field.
Speaking during a Politburo study session on Friday, Xi urged the country to harness its “new whole national system” to accelerate AI development. He emphasized the importance of closing existing gaps by driving forward technological innovation, industrial growth, and AI integration across various sectors.
Xi outlined that government support would be strengthened in areas including public procurement, intellectual property protection, research, and talent development, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Recent advancements suggest China has been narrowing its technological gap with the United States. Notably, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek captured international attention earlier this year by unveiling a powerful AI reasoning model. The model was reportedly developed using less advanced chips, proving more cost-effective than similar projects in the West. This development challenged the widespread belief that U.S. sanctions would severely limit China’s AI progress after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022.
Xi also stressed the need to invest heavily in fundamental research and focus on breakthroughs in critical areas such as high-end chip manufacturing and basic software systems. He called for the creation of a fully independent and collaborative AI ecosystem, both in hardware and software.
Moreover, Xi emphasized the urgency of establishing regulations and legal frameworks around AI to ensure technologies are developed safely, reliably, and with appropriate oversight. He reiterated China’s position that AI innovation should not be dominated by wealthier nations, calling for increased international cooperation and governance on AI technologies.