The China-America Innovation Network has been hosting its annual summit in Shanghai this week. CHAIN is an organization which looks to promote cross-border innovation and resource sharing in the tech sector. Its focus this year is on developing artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. CGTN's Xu Mengqi has more.

If you ever need assistance walking, or just want some feedback on your exercise routine, consider the help of a robot.

ZHANG MENG, CEO MOVE ROBOTICS, CHINESE STARTUP "You wear it, and it measures every single motion of yours, and it can tell you whether you are exercising well, or if you are doing so-so and need improvement. If so, it will tell you how to improve."

Zhang Meng is sharing his thoughts and practices about what artificial intelligence can do when combined with robotics. It's part of a two-day forum co-hosted by the China American Innovation Network and Shanghai Lingang Group. This year's focus is on AI and another buzzing technology: blockchain.

MICHAEL CASEY, SENIOR ADVISOR MIT DIGITAL CURRENCY INITIATIVE "I think what's really important about this technology, the blockchain, is not to think of it as any old technology, that is a singular individual action technology like an application, but it's a common social technology."

In other words, a technology that's inherently global, and challenges the existing nation-state and corporate structures. But could it be an idealist's view of the world?

XU MENGQI SHANGHAI "The technology sector has become a key source of tension fueling the recent trade dispute between China and the US. Amid the tit-for-tat tariff exchange, tech companies have become pawns of the ongoing trade spat."

On July 6, the first set of tariffs targeting $34 billion worth of imports went into effect both ways. China has targeted mostly American agricultural products, whereas the US says it is focusing on China's industrial sectors. And while the US was banning Chinese telecom company ZTE from buying American chips, US computer chip producer Micron was also ordered to halt sales in China. Last month, ZTE was finally allowed to resume business after paying a fine of more than 1.4 billion USD. For some tech experts in China, this is a reminder of where they still need to make up.

ZHANG WENQIANG, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR INSTITUTE OF INTELLIGENT ROBOTICS AT FUDAN UNIVERSITY "Whether it's iFlytek, or Sensetime, in facial recognition, we have done fairly well in China. We've had success in terms of algorithms, but still lag behind the US in hardware, particularly in semiconductors."

But not everyone agrees with the narrative of competition.

WANG FEIYUE, DIRECTOR THE STATE KEY LABORATORY FOR MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS "We are a community with a shared future, we are all contributing to humankind. The focus should be on improving yourself. Don't think about competing with others all the time."

Whether China engages in competition or not, experts say talent and original research are what the nation needs. And as Artificial Intelligence becomes more commonplace, it and Blockchain will help make this shared future an exciting and innovative one. Xu Mengqi, CGTN, Shanghai.