China's top diplomat meets UN secretary-general

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Shanghai on Friday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Guterres, who is in China to attend the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and witness the signing ceremony of the agreement on establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO).

Wang said China's initiative to establish the WAICO was to advance AI development that puts people first, embraces inclusiveness and shared benefits, develops AI for sound and positive outcomes, and delivers benefits to humanity. The organization would help countries of the Global South keep pace with the global intelligent transformation, bolster capacity building and avert a new intelligence divide, he added.

Wang stated that China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the UN, jointly advance the governance of emerging technologies, including AI, and work hand in hand to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Wang stressed that over the past decade in office, Secretary-General Guterres has upheld the vision of multilateralism, spoken out for global peace and development, and boosted fruitful cooperation between the UN and China, for which China expresses high appreciation. China stands ready to further deepen all-round cooperation with the UN and support the organization in fostering a more just and equitable global governance system through reforms, he said.

Guterres warmly congratulated the successful convening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and spoke highly of China's initiative to establish the WAICO. He said that the emphasis on AI for good, inclusiveness and security was highly consistent with the UN's strategic goals and philosophy.

Guterres noted that the UN stands ready to maintain close communication and cooperation with China and support the WAICO in playing an important role and better serving the shared well-being of humanity.