CHINA TO TAKE ACTIONS TO SAFEGUARD INTERESTS AGAINST US AI RESTRICTIONS

BEIJING, Jan 14 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes US restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) exports and will take resolute actions to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, reported Xinhua.

The restrictions further tighten export controls on AI chips and model parameters, while extending extraterritorial jurisdiction. They create obstacles for and interfere with third parties engaged in normal trade with China, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Guo, speaking at a press conference, said that the United States had generalised the concept of national security, politicised and weaponised economic and technological issues, and misused export controls to maliciously suppress China.

He emphasised that these actions severely undermine market rules and the international economic and trade order, significantly affect the stability of global industrial and supply chains and harm the interests of business communities of both China and the United States as well as various countries.

"AI is a shared asset of all humanity and should not be a game for wealthy nations and individuals, nor should it be used to create new development gaps," Guo said.

He criticised the United States for attempting to maintain its hegemony by introducing hierarchies in the field of artificial intelligence and for effectively depriving developing countries, including China, of their rights for technological progress and development.

Guo described the US AI policy as a "stumbling block" to other countries, which contradicts the common interests of countries promoting the responsible development of AI, raising concerns about the United States initiating a new Cold War in technology.

He said that many US technology companies and industry associations had explicitly opposed the measures taken by the Biden administration.

"China is an active advocate and practitioner of global governance in AI," Guo said, adding that China has proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative, promoted the adoption of a resolution on AI capacity building by the United Nations General Assembly, and established a group of friends for international cooperation on AI capacity building.

He said China would continue to work with all parties to create an open, inclusive, universally beneficial, and non-discriminatory environment for the development of AI, ensuring that its benefits reach all countries. 

--BERNAMA-XINHUA