At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, the National
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other agencies released two
outputs: the Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Development Action Plan and the
China Smart·Benefits the World (2026) casebook. The Action Plan, framed to
implement Xi’s directive that AI be treated as an international public good,
sets eight priority actions spanning data, compute, ecosystem, deployment,
talent, rules, governance and ethics: high‑quality data supply,
democratized/ubiquitous compute, open‑source ecosystem sharing, deep sectoral AI
enablement, joint cultivation of digital‑intelligence talent, co‑development of
rules and standards, collaborative security governance, and promoting AI for
good. The NDRC says the plan responds to UN calls for strengthened international
AI cooperation, narrowing the digital divide and using AI for sustainable
development. The China Smart·Benefits the World (2026) casebook, the NDRC’s
third annual edition, compiles 10 international AI cooperation projects; it
reports broader country coverage, richer “AI+” application scenarios and an
increased emphasis on people‑centered, benevolent AI, presenting China’s
contributions to global AI development.
