China leads international group to boost AI cooperation
A new international group initiated by China has been launched at the United Nations, during a meeting co-chaired by China and Zambia, to promote global co-operation in building artificial intelligence (AI) capacity.
Representatives from more than 80 other countries, including the United States, France, the UK, Egypt, Pakistan, Brazil, Ethiopia and Indonesia, also attended the inaugural meeting of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI capacity building.
The UN’s Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology was also represented.
Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the UN, emphasized the need to harness AI for good, promote fairness and inclusivity, uphold multilateralism and focus on capacity-building.
He said that the ‘Group of Friends’ aims to foster broad partnerships, implement practical actions, and support sustainable development worldwide through AI.
“We hope this Group of Friends can play a role in helping the international community seize the immense opportunities presented by digital development, build partnerships, and undertake actions for a brighter and smarter future,” Fu said. “We must promote AI for good.”
He added that AI can play a crucial role in implementing the UN’s 2030 Agenda, enhancing people’s well-being and addressing global challenges. But the development of AI also could bring conflicting rules, social risks and ethical challenges, he warned.
The 2030 Agenda has 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), with 169 targets, designed to eradicate poverty in all forms and “seek to realize the human rights of all and achieve gender equality”.
Fu said: “We must always keep in mind that high-quality AI development can only be possible when robust security guardrails are in place. AI must always be under human control,” he said.
The UN rep also said that “we must uphold fairness and inclusiveness”, and he called for ensuring that all nations have equal opportunities to develop and benefit from AI in an open, non-discriminatory environment.
In addition, he called for “championing multilateralism” and advocating collaborative global efforts to make AI a tool for the collective benefit of humanity rather than a privilege for a select few.
Emmanuel Pamu, permanent secretary for budget and economic affairs in Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning, stressed the importance of bridging the AI divide and supporting the UN’s role in global AI governance.
He called on all parties to back the Group of Friends and strengthen international cooperation.
China has increasingly focused on AI development in recent years. In 2023, President Xi Jinping introduced the Global AI Governance Initiative, aiming to address key challenges in AI governance and promote global co-operation.
In July, under the guidance of the initiative, China led the unanimous adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution on building AI capacity. The resolution was co-sponsored by 143 countries, including the US.
The resolution “encourages international cooperation to help countries, especially developing ones, strengthen AI capacity, enhance their representation in global AI governance, and advocate for an open, fair and nondiscriminatory business environment”, Fu told the General Assembly.
SMEs show increasing confidence
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China reported a steady improvement in business performance in October, with expanding domestic and foreign trade markets and growing confidence in development, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
According to China Central Television (CCTV), the added value of China’s industrial small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) above a designated size increased by 7.0 percent year-on-year in the first ten months.
The added value of 39 out of 41 major industries maintained growth, which strongly supported the steady growth of China’s industrial economy.
The SMEs production index reached 50.7 percent in October, staying in the expansion range for a sixth consecutive month. A production index above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
