Chinese President Xi Jinping dominated the stage at the Apec leaders’ meeting on Saturday, using the moment to promote a China-backed international framework for governing artificial intelligence while positioning Beijing as a strong alternative to the United States in global trade leadership.
It was the first time Xi publicly spoke about the AI governance initiative proposed by Beijing earlier this year — an idea Washington has pushed back against, resisting global regulatory bodies overseeing AI.
Xi suggested creating a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, saying it would help set global standards, foster collaboration, and ensure AI remains a “public good for the international community”. He emphasized that artificial intelligence must support the well-being of people across all nations and regions.
US President Donald Trump did not attend the summit in South Korea’s Gyeongju, returning to Washington after bilateral talks with Xi. Their meeting resulted in a one-year agreement to ease certain trade and tech restrictions — a move aimed at cooling tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
With Trump absent, observers expected Xi to seize the platform — and he did — championing a China-centered model for multilateral trade and development. While Nvidia chips drive much of the current AI boom globally, China’s DeepSeek has rolled out cost-efficient AI models to advance what Beijing calls “algorithmic sovereignty.”
Xi also pushed for greater global access to green technologies — areas like solar energy and battery manufacturing, where China holds major market power.
Apec leaders approved a joint declaration along with agreements on AI and ageing-population strategies. China will host the 2026 Apec summit in Shenzhen, a city Xi framed as a symbol of China’s progress — transformed from a fishing village into a world-class innovation hub since the 1980s.
Apec brings together 21 economies representing nearly half of global trade.
