Why China resists US calls to slow AI development

Summary

China is encouraging AI adoption across its economy while resisting US calls to slow the development of advanced systems. Beijing sees proposals for a coordinated pause, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call for worldwide pacing, as potentially locking in the US lead; Amodei has also advocated continued restrictions on China’s access to advanced chips and equipment. China’s foreign ministry criticized fearmongering and confrontation, but analysts caution that this does not mean Beijing rejects AI risk concerns. China has issued the third version of its safety governance framework, covering risks from agents, frontier-model cybersecurity threats and hypothetical recursive self-improvement. Analysts see overlap between US and Chinese concerns, even as the governments differ over pace and strategy. China’s state-led oversight includes an algorithm registry dating to 2022, new attention to what AI systems do, and regulations intended to curb emotional dependence on companion AIs. The government also treats AI as a growth priority: its latest Five Year Plan supports adoption, local governments offer companies funding and low rents, and factories are being urged to integrate AI. Analysts describe China as having centralized control that could help it respond to an AI disaster, but say Chinese companies do less voluntary monitoring and evaluation than US firms; neither country appears prepared for a loss-of-control incident. Everyday use is already widespread, including a Chinese AI health service whose chatbot versions of doctors reportedly reached 150 million users. The article describes public concern about jobs and misinformation alongside a strong belief that China should master AI rather than slow its progress. A planned Trump-Xi meeting is expected to include AI, though analysts doubt it will produce a major breakthrough.