Global AI: Xi Jinping wants a 'symphony' against American hegemony

Xi Jinping stated that AI should not be a solo performance by a single country but a symphony of international cooperation, speaking at the WAIC 2026 in Shanghai. Without naming the US, he criticized the excessive expansion of the national security concept, alluding to American chip export restrictions. He announced cooperation centers with ASEAN, the African Union, and others, access to the MAZU weather system for 30 countries, and 5,000 AI training slots for developing nations. The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) was launched with its headquarters in Shanghai.