China is set to send Wu Zhaohui, Vice Minister of Science and Technology, to a global summit on artificial intelligence (AI) in the United Kingdom this week, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
The summit, scheduled for November 1–2, will bring together representatives from AI companies, political leaders, and experts. Its primary focus is to address the perceived risks associated with AI technology and to establish an international consensus on its safe and responsible development.
This move signals a positive shift in Sino-British relations, as China accepted Britain’s invitation to attend the summit. The invitation follows a visit to Beijing by Britain’s top diplomat, James Cleverly, in August. Cleverly’s visit marked the first trip to China by a British foreign secretary in five years, and it signified an effort to mend the strained ties between the two nations.
Relations between the UK and China had deteriorated significantly during the tenure of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This decline resulted from London’s concerns over national security and the crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong, leading to restrictions on certain Chinese investments. Recent months have witnessed an increase in visits to China by senior British civil servants and former officials, indicating a broader effort to strengthen diplomatic ties. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit to Beijing earlier this month and his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reflect these ongoing diplomatic endeavors, especially as Beijing seeks to foster connections with the Labour Party ahead of an anticipated general election next year.
Wu Zhaohui will lead the Chinese delegation at the AI summit. Joining him will be representatives from the Chinese foreign ministry, various companies, and academic institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Alibaba, and Tencent. The identities of the sources revealing this information have been kept confidential.
Notably, President Xi Jinping was initially invited to the summit, and there was substantial debate over whether to extend an invitation to any Chinese officials at all. Ultimately, it was decided that not inviting China would be counterproductive to the summit’s goals.
China has joined the global fascination with generative AI, spurred in part by the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT last year. The country has seen a surge in the development of large language models, with at least 130 such models launched by Chinese companies, including Alibaba and Tencent. This accounts for approximately 40% of the global total, coming in just behind the United States, which holds a 50% share of these models, according to brokerage CLSA.
The participation of Vice Minister Wu Zhaohui at the AI summit underscores the significance of international collaboration and dialogue in addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. The event promises to be a crucial step toward establishing global consensus on AI’s responsible development.