China Hosts Second AI Capacity Building Workshop in Beijing
The Second AI Capacity Building Workshop, organized by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commenced at Tsinghua University in Beijing on May 12. Officials and experts from nearly 40 countries and international organizations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the African Union, are participating in the event.
Ma Zhaoxu, China’s Vice Foreign Minister, addressed the opening ceremony. He highlighted that President Xi Jinping’s Global AI Governance Initiative provides a Chinese approach to the challenges of artificial intelligence, offering wisdom and direction for global AI governance. Ma urged all countries to embrace the concept of a shared future for humanity, promoting innovation, openness, fairness, inclusiveness, and collaborative governance in implementing the Global AI Governance Initiative. He emphasized making AI an international public good that benefits all of humanity.
Ma also underscored China’s active role as an advocate, promoter, and pioneer in AI capacity building. He noted that China has prioritized implementing the United Nations General Assembly resolution on strengthening international cooperation in AI capacity building, announced the Universal AI Capacity Building Program, and established the Group of Friends of AI Capacity Building.
In a video message, Amandeep Singh Gill, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, stressed the significance of the UN resolution on AI promoted by China. He expressed hope that the workshop would contribute to global AI governance and foster international cooperation.
Chola Milambo, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the UN and co-chair of the Group of Friends of AI Capacity Building, acknowledged China’s leadership in enhancing AI capacity building in the Global South. He highlighted the workshop’s importance in implementing the Global Digital Compact and the UN resolution.
The workshop is part of China’s efforts to implement UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/311, adopted in July 2022. The resolution, unanimously adopted, encourages strengthening international AI cooperation through policy exchange, technical support, financial assistance, personnel training, and joint research. It represents the first global consensus document focusing on AI capacity building. The first workshop was held in Shanghai in September 2022.
