Jul 17, 2026 – 5.20pmTokyo | President Xi Jinping has declared China will lead the creation of a new global artificial intelligence order, unveiling an ambitious diplomatic push to position Beijing – rather than Washington – at the centre of the technology’s future governance.The address, at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Friday, was delivered just moments after US President Donald Trump accused China of interfering in the US elections. Trump said he would declassify sensitive information that showed China had illicitly acquired 220 million US voter files.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles