China Calls for Respect of Digital Sovereignty Amid US AI Coalition Push
China urges respect for digital sovereignty and opposes forced alignment in the AI race, after reports the US plans to ask countries to choose sides.
China has called on all nations to respect each other's digital sovereignty, pushing back against reported US plans to compel countries to pick a side in the artificial intelligence race between Washington and Beijing.
Speaking at a regular press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing is opposed to the idea of taking sides or forming exclusive camps on AI. He stressed that every country has the right to choose its partners based on its own national conditions and development needs.
The remarks follow a report that the United States is preparing to tell dozens of countries they must choose between a US-led AI coalition and China's competing framework. According to the report, countries that join Beijing's initiative would be excluded from the US-led group.
China's statement underscores its stance that technological cooperation should not be dictated by geopolitical alignment. Lin's comments reflect Beijing's broader push for a multipolar approach to global digital governance, where nations retain autonomy over their digital policies and partnerships.