Beijing Offers Countries of the Global South an Alternative to Western AI Standards

Shanghai hosted the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and a high-level meeting on global AI governance under the slogan “AI Partnership for a Bright Future”. The aim was to unite the countries of the Global South around the Chinese vision of AI governance and present a new coordination tool – the World Organization for Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (WAICO). The events were attended by President of Kazakhstan K.-J. Tokayev, Prime Minister of Cambodia H. Manet, Prime Minister of Thailand A. Charnwirakul, UN Secretary-General A. Guterres, as well as representatives from over 100 countries and international organizations.

At the opening ceremony, President of the PRC Xi Jinping presented China as a provider of global public goods in the field of AI and announced 5,000 training slots for countries of the Global South over the next five years, the establishment of cooperation centers with regional associations, and assistance to 30 countries in implementing the “MAZU” weather warning system.

On the eve of the Conference, representatives from 29 countries signed an agreement establishing WAICO – an independent intergovernmental organization headquartered in Shanghai. The founding members include russia, belarus, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Brazil, Venezuela, and Cuba, as well as 10 African and 12 Asian countries. The documents call for harmonizing approaches to AI governance, training specialists, and supporting the technological capabilities of countries in the Global South.

Western experts view WAICO as a counterweight to the US “Pax Silica” initiative, although the two initiatives have different focuses: WAICO concentrates on governance rules and workforce training, while “Pax Silica” is designed to protect supply chains for semiconductors and computing equipment. In parallel, Washington is promoting the Joint Statement on AI Opportunities, which was endorsed by 35 countries in June 2026.

The creation of WAICO reflects Beijing’s desire to turn access to the Chinese AI ecosystem into a tool for long-term influence, embedding Chinese regulatory approaches in participating countries without direct political pressure. For russia, participation in the organization simultaneously increases its dependence on Chinese technologies.