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Activity Category: AI Engagement Activity

2025 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum

The 2025 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum convened on May 25, 2025, in Luoyang, Henan Province, themed “Harnessing the Power of AI to Enhance Communication Cooperation in the Region.” The event brought together approximately 150 attendees including diplomatic envoys and media professionals from all 10 ASEAN member states, plus Chinese government officials and media representatives. Key participants included Secretary General Shi Zhongjun (石中軍) of the ASEAN-China Center, Cambodia’s minister of information Kem Gunawadh, Vietnam’s deputy minister Phan Tam, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General San Lwin (via video), and President Du Zhanyuan (杜占元) of the China International Communications Group. International partners included: diplomatic representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, plus ASEAN Youth Organization representatives. Co-hosted by the ASEAN-China Center (中國—東盟中心) and China International Communications Group (中國外文局), the forum launched joint initiatives on AI-powered media ecosystem governance and new media exchange programs, with discussions focused on what organizers characterized as combating fake news and promoting responsible AI use in media.

China Signs AI Cooperation Pact with Brazil

During a diplomatic meeting in Brazil on July 5, 2025, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) signed a series of agreements with Brazilian government agencies, including an artificial intelligence cooperation pact witnessed by both nations’ leaders. The memorandum of understanding establishes what the Chinese government describes as a “China-Brazil Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Center” (中国-巴西人工智能应用合作中心), with stated goals of “strengthening AI development foundations, providing open-source services, enhancing industrial innovation partnerships, and promoting talent development.” Vice Chairman Liu Sushe (刘苏社) represented China’s DRC in signing the bilateral agreements with Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Presidential Office’s Civil Affairs department.

8th World Artificial Intelligence Conference

The 8th World Artificial Intelligence Conference (世界人工智能大会), or WAIC, was held in Shanghai from July 28 to July 30, 2025, with participation from representatives from more than 40 countries — as China pressed to position itself as a global leader on AI development and governance. WAIC is an annual Shanghai-based event that bills itself as “one of the most influential AI events within the global tech, science, and industry ecosystem.” Launched in 2018 and hosted by several Chinese government ministries and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government (上海市人民政府), with Donghao Lansheng Group (东浩兰生集团) as executive organizer, WAIC has convened for seven consecutive years, featuring scientists, entrepreneurs, government officials, and investors. Donghao Lansheng Group is a state-owned enterprise based in Shanghai, whose sole shareholder is the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (上海市国有资产监督管理委员会). Co-organizing ministries include the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展和改革委员会), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部), the Ministry of Science and Technology (科学技术部), the State Internet Information Office (国家互联网信息办公室), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院), the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院), and the Chinese Association for Science and Technology (中国科学技术协会). The 2025 edition, held July 26-28 under the theme “Global Solidarity in the AI Era,” attracted over 800 companies and featured more than 3,000 exhibits — and was heavily billed by state media as a sign of China’s global leadership on AI safety and other key emerging global issues in the field. Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李强) used the platform to propose a global AI governance framework, while CNN reported the conference showcased China’s technological capabilities amid ongoing US-China AI competition, with demonstrations including “mahjong-playing humanoid” robots and boxing robots that “quickly caught the attention of visitors.”

Sberbank Cooperates with China on AI Projects

In February 2025, Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, announced plans to collaborate with Chinese researchers on joint AI projects, as First Deputy CEO Alexander Vedyakhin told Reuters. This partnership emerges as China’s DeepSeek disrupts the tech landscape with its low-cost AI models challenging U.S. competitors. The collaboration follows President Putin’s January directive ordering Sberbank and the Russian government to develop AI cooperation with China amid Western sanctions restricting Moscow’s access to advanced computing hardware. Under CEO German Gref, Sberbank has transformed from a Soviet-era institution into a leading Russian AI player, releasing its GigaChat model in 2023. This initiative reflects the deepening “no limits” strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing, with both nations aiming to challenge U.S. dominance in AI as Russia, currently ranked 31st globally in AI implementation, seeks alternative technological solutions.

African Nations Pledge AI Cooperation with China

At the three-yearly Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing on September 5, 2024, China and the African Union outlined AI cooperation in the Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027). African countries welcomed China’s Global AI Governance Initiative (全球人工智能治理倡議) and supported developing countries’ rights in global AI governance. Both sides are committed to bridging the AI and digital divide while jointly preventing risks, opposing technological monopolies, and building international governance frameworks with the UN as the main channel. The agreement established a China-Africa Digital Technology Cooperation Center (中非數字技術合作中心), with China agreeing to facilitate 20 digital infrastructure and transformation projects. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation on digital literacy, cybersecurity, data security (數據安全), and cross-border data flow protocols (跨境數據流動規則). They coordinated on regulating AI applications while promoting AI’s safe use in governance, emphasizing equal access to technology development without ideological divisions. 53 African nations were reportedly in attendance at the summit. 

China-ASEAN AI Development and Governance Cooperation Seminar Held in Phnom Penh

The China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Development and Governance Cooperation Seminar (中國-東盟人工智能發展與治理合作研討會) was held on December 9, 2024, in Phnom Penh, jointly organized by Cambodia’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council and the China Institute of International Studies (中國國際問題研究院). Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth (旺西偉索) praised China’s AI achievements and called for strengthened policy coordination, research collaboration, and talent development to promote more inclusive and fair global AI governance. He highlighted that Cambodia is implementing the first phase of its “Pentagonal Strategy,” with digital economy and social development as key focus areas. The Cambodian government is advancing technological innovation, including AI, through its Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework (2021-2035), which aims to achieve five major goals: digital infrastructure development, enhanced digital trust, digital citizenship cultivation, e-government implementation, and digital business promotion.

India’s IT Ministry Hosts Deepseek on its Servers

India announced plans to host Chinese startup DeepSeek’s (深度求索) AI models on its servers to evaluate security and safety parameters, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in January 2025. Under the IndiaAI Mission, which has a budget of Rs 10,372 crore ($12.1 billion), the government is procuring 18,693 GPUs to provide “affordable compute” facilities for tech companies and AI researchers. Vaishnaw emphasized that this number was sufficient for India’s AI development needs, noting that DeepSeek was built with only about 2,000 GPUs. Dismissing concerns about India being late to AI development, he stressed that being a “trusted partner” ensured continued GPU supply from companies like Nvidia despite US restrictions against certain countries. Security testing of the models would be conducted by multiple agencies, including CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) and the National Cyber Security Secretariat.

China and Laos Build AI Innovation Cooperation Center

On February 23, 2025, China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (廣西壯族自治區) and Laos signed an agreement in Vientiane to establish the China-Laos Artificial Intelligence Innovation Cooperation Center (中國—老撾人工智能創新合作中心), marking the first AI cooperation platform between China and an ASEAN nation. People’s Daily reported that the initiative aims to “systematically enhance Laos’ foundational capabilities in the intelligent era” while supporting development across various sectors. The project progressed rapidly from negotiation to signing, which Chinese officials characterize as demonstrating both countries’ commitment to deepening cooperation in intelligent technologies. The center implements China’s AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All (人工智能能力建設普惠計劃), announced by Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) in September 2024, to assist developing countries with AI development. Guangxi representatives outlined plans to establish similar centers throughout ASEAN countries to help develop “independent and controllable AI sovereignty models” (自主可控的人工智能主權大模型). The project responds to the China-ASEAN Joint Statement on Facilitating Cooperation in Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Ecosystem, adopted in 2024.