Xi Jinping calls for China to secure competitive edge in AI technology

Chinese President Xi Jinping urges China to lead in AI technology, highlights DeepSeek's role, and calls for stronger innovation amid rising global competition and security concerns

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday said that the country must secure a competitive edge in artificial intelligence (AI), calling it a key technology that is transforming how people work and live, according to a report in news agency PTI.

 

Speaking at a Communist Party meeting focused on new technologies, Xi said China should make full use of its ability to mobilise resources, stay committed to self-reliance, focus on practical applications, and push the AI industry to develop in a safe, beneficial, and fair way.

 

According to state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi said, "AI, as a strategic technology leading the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, has profoundly changed the way humans produce and live."

 

While highlighting China’s progress, Xi also pointed out that the country still faces gaps in basic theories and critical core technologies. He urged the nation to recognise these challenges and called for stronger efforts to boost scientific innovation, industrial growth, and AI applications.

 

These efforts, he said, are key to improving AI governance systems and ensuring that China holds the initiative in both developing and regulating AI. "It is necessary to improve AI regulatory systems and mechanisms, and to firmly grasp the initiative in both AI development and governance," he said.

Global reactions to DeepSeek AI tool

In recent years, China has ramped up investment in AI and other emerging technologies, becoming a major player in industries like electric vehicles. The Chinese military has also started using AI in non-combat areas.

 

Earlier this year, a Chinese tech company, High-Flyer, introduced an AI tool called DeepSeek, which attracted global attention for its low-cost model.

 

However, DeepSeek soon came under scrutiny. On April 17, a US congressional committee labeled DeepSeek "a profound threat to America's national security" as tensions between the two countries escalated.

 

The House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party claimed that DeepSeek is closely linked to the Communist Party and was created to "unlawfully undermine US technological leadership and critical American policies to protect national security".

 

Several countries, including India, have placed restrictions on the use of DeepSeek by government officials, citing concerns over possible data leaks.

 

China has criticised these restrictions, saying they were an example of politicising trade and technology issues.