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China strives to facilitate global sharing of benefits from AI development

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By He Yin, People’s Daily

 

On December 3, local time, the first meeting of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on Capacity-building of Artificial Intelligence (hereinafter referred to as “the Group of Friends”) was co-chaired by China and Zambia at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, marking the official establishment of the Group of Friends.

 

Representatives from over 80 countries and officials from UN agencies including the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology attended the meeting. They expected the Group of Friends to inject new impetus into the international cooperation on AI capacity building, improvement of AI governance, and closing the digital divide.

 

The meeting represents another significant step taken by Chinatopromote the inclusive and universally beneficial development of AI, demonstrating the country’s vision and sense of responsibility as a major playerin AI technologies.

 

In recent years, AI technologies have been breaking new ground, withmushrooming new applications, providing tremendous opportunities for economic and social development of all countries.

 

That said, AI technologies are also accompanied by risks and challenges. Developing countries are yet to benefit from AI advancements, and the AI divide and the digital divide are making development even more uneven among countries. There is a pressing need for the international community to enhance global AI governance and step up AI cooperation.

 

Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forth the Global AI Governance Initiative, contributing China’s wisdom and proposal on global AI governance.

 

China advocates for international cooperation and practical actions to help developing countries enhance their AI capabilities, in a bid to ensure equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal rules for all countriesin global AI development and governance, and make sure that no country is left behind.

 

In his speech at the Session II of the 19th G20 Summit, Xi further stressed the need to step up international governance and cooperation on AI, to make sure that AI is for good and for all, not a game of the rich countries and the wealthy.

 

China has been a proactive advocate and a doer in advancing the inclusive and universally beneficial development of AI.

 

This year, the 78th UN General Assembly adopted a resolution spearheaded by China on enhancing international cooperation for AI capacity building. Besides, China hosted the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-level Meetingon Global AIGovernance in Shanghai, and co-organized the inaugural Workshop on AI Capacity Building with the UN.

 

China is committed to putting AI capacity building at the forefront of the global macro policy framework for AI governance. It has taken tangible measures to support developing countries in enhancing their AI capabilities, ensuring that they truly benefit from AI development.

 

In September, during the UN General Assembly high-level week, China and Zambia co-hosted the High-level Meeting on International Cooperation on Capacity-Building of Artificial Intelligence.

 

At the meeting, China announced the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All. The action plan presents five visions and goals, including promoting AI and digital infrastructure connectivity, empowering industries through the AI plus application, enhancing AI literacy and strengthening personnel training, improving AI data security and diversity, and ensuring AI safety, reliability, and controllability.

 

The plan also outlines ten actions in response to the common expectations of the Global South, such as developing AI infrastructure, carrying out cooperation on the R&D of AI models and the empowering application of AI, jointly promoting the fair and inclusive use of global data, and jointly addressing AI risks related to safety and security.

 

China’s proposal to establish the Group of Friends will be a key component in advancing the action plan.

 

Prudence Kaoma, acting permanent secretary in Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Development, said that the international community should bridge the intelligence gap and support the UN in playing a key role in global AI governance. Kaoma also expected all countries to support the Group of Friends and strengthen global collaboration and cooperation.

 

The Group of Friends will leverage the UN, the most universal, representative, and authoritative intergovernmental organization in today’s world, to serve as a bridge for building international consensus, and actively promote exchanges and cooperation in AI capacity building.

 

China welcomes all countries to join and participate in the activitiesheld within the Group of Friends. It will work together with all parties to implement the relevant UN General Assembly resolution and the action plan, so as to close the intelligence gap, ensure that the world shares in the benefits of AI development,and jointly createa smarter and better future for all.

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Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

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The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, effectively dismantling institutions long seen as critical for American influence abroad.

 

On Sunday, contractors working for VOA received an email notification that their employment would be terminated by the end of March. “You must cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems,” the email read, according to multiple staff members who confirmed the development.

 

The move, which comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, disproportionately affects non-English-language services, where contractors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Many of these contractors are not U.S. citizens and may now face visa issues, further complicating their status in the country.

 

While most full-time staff remain employed for now, they have been told not to work, leaving VOA and its sister organizations in a state of uncertainty. Some services, unable to produce new programming, have resorted to playing music.

 

VOA, founded during World War II, has been a critical tool for U.S. public diplomacy, broadcasting in 49 languages to audiences in countries where press freedom is restricted. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of broader federal budget cuts.

 

The cuts extend beyond VOA, affecting other U.S.-funded media entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda (which broadcasts in Persian to Iran), and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network launched after the 2003 Iraq invasion. The administration argues that taxpayers should not fund what it calls “radical propaganda,” despite VOA’s longstanding editorial independence.

 

Liam Scott, a VOA journalist covering press freedom and disinformation, expressed concern over the decision. “I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the U.S. over the past couple of months,” he wrote on social media.

 

The move has drawn international attention, particularly from China and Russia, which have been expanding their own state-funded media efforts. The Chinese state-run *Global Times* reacted with an editorial declaring that “the monopoly of information held by traditional Western media is being shattered.”

 

Trump’s administration has pursued aggressive cuts across federal agencies, including eliminating most foreign aid and significantly reducing the Department of Education. With input from tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has focused on reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts.

 

As the global media landscape shifts, the dismantling of U.S.-funded broadcasters leaves a vacuum that could be filled by rival state-controlled networks. Whether Congress or legal challenges will intervene remains to be seen, but for now, the future of America’s international broadcasting efforts hangs in the balance.

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Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

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A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.

US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.

Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.

The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.

The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.

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China’s new chapter in global innovation

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By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily

At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.

Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.

In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.

China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.

Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.

Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.

Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.

Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.

Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.

In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.

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