China-led resolution on artificial intelligence passes United Nations

In a diplomatic victory for Beijing on Monday, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously approved a Chinese-led resolution calling on the international community to create a “free, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory” business environment between rich and developed countries. in development for artificial intelligence. development.

More than 140 countries, including the United States, co-sponsored the non-binding resolution asserting that all nations should “enjoy equal opportunities” in the non-military realm, calling for global cooperation to help developing countries facing “unique challenge” and to ensure “They will not be left behind”.

Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said after the assembly session that “a piecemeal approach to AI, to digital technology, will not benefit anyone.”

He added that the resolution was proposed to “underline the important role that the UN can play” in governing AI as “the most inclusive organization”.

Describing the significance of the move as “huge and far-reaching”, the envoy noted that AI technology was advancing rapidly and “the gap between North and South, especially between developing countries and developed countries, is also widening “.

Ambassador Fu, who served as director-general of the arms control department at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022, also said China was “very grateful and we are very grateful for the positive role it has played USA. played in this whole process”.

He added that the AI ​​issue had been discussed at “a very high level, at the level of foreign ministers, even at the level of the head of state.”

“So we look forward to intensifying our cooperation with the United States and, for that matter, with all countries in the world for that matter,” he said.

Beijing’s initiative also follows the assembly’s adoption of the first global resolution on AI in March. Proposed by Washington and co-sponsored by China and over 120 countries, the measure encouraged countries to protect human rights, protect personal data and monitor AI for potential risks.

A senior official from US President Joe Biden’s administration later said the consensus had been reached after “intense discussions” between countries with differing views.

On Monday, Ambassador Fu called the two resolutions “complementary”, saying the previous one was “more general” and the Chinese one was “more focused on capacity building”.

Beijing has sought to include voices from the developing world in discussions on managing AI. In October, China released its Global AI Governance Initiative, saying “all countries, regardless of their size, power or social system, should have equal rights to develop and use AI.”

Beijing is seen as trying to ensure that the US alone does not dominate the global AI standard-setting discourse.

The US and China also remain locked in a competition to advance in the high-tech fields of AI and semiconductors.

In March, Washington revised regulations further limiting China’s access to US-made artificial intelligence chips and chip-making tools. The export controls were first introduced in October 2022 to prevent Beijing from using American technology for military modernization. They were updated a year later to eliminate loopholes.

In another push to hamper Beijing’s ability to acquire advanced technologies such as semiconductors, quantum computing and AI, Biden signed an executive order in August 2023 barring US individuals and companies from investing in “sensitive” sectors in China.

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The US Treasury Department, which is setting the bulk restrictions, said last week that they would focus on “the next generation of military, intelligence, surveillance or cyber capabilities that pose national security risks to the United States”.

On Monday, Ambassador Fu called on the US to lift sanctions in accordance with the newly adopted resolution.

“If people are true to the content of this resolution, it says that it is important to foster an inclusive business environment. We do not think that the actions of the US… [are] along this line”, he said.