On Nov. 1, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held a meeting among many of its 21 member states, notably excluding the United States. APEC and its members serve to increase trade among nations and promote cooperation in burgeoning industries. Of note at this latest summit was the seemingly exponential growth of the AI and chip industries. The event in Gyeongju, South Korea, saw a few striking statements from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Xi took the opportunity of a world stage to propose a possible World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization to regulate the growing AI industry. Xi argued AI ought to be “made for the benefit of people in all countries and regions.” Though a quite general statement, his proposal included a push for Chinese leadership in the matter, such as the hypothesized organization’s basis in Shanghai. Xi claimed intergovernmental growth in regulation would help increase cooperation among nations regarding AI, allowing for a safer future. Xi’s push for AI tech leadership is exemplified by their leading company Deepseek, which has recently produced a lower-cost version of NVIDIA’s advanced chips. These chips are essential in the AI production line, and China has full intention to stay ahead in this technological arms race.
Chinese officials also made clear their goal of promoting green technology adoption, which is unsurprising given their domination of manufacturing for this industry. China is slated to host next year’s summit out of Shanghai, a city that’s proven to be a hub for innovation and has often been referred to as the Chinese equivalent of Silicon Valley. Given the speed at which AI and chip technology is progressing, this summit, its host and its attendees could prove to be fundamental in the shaping of these new technologies’ future.
President Trump was absent from the adjournment on Saturday, though he was sure to meet with President Xi earlier in the week. The two world leaders met in Gyeongju to discuss similar topics as were addressed by APEC, concluding in a mutually beneficial deal. This agreement included a rollback on tech and trade restrictions, particularly focused on AI. The deal marks a positive turn in American-Chinese trade relations, which have been notoriously strained over the past year.
The APEC meeting on Saturday concluded with the 2025 APEC Leaders’ Gyeongju Declaration. In relation to AI, the agreement reiterated goals of cooperation, as well as keeping people’s well-being as the primary focus. Also stated was a mutual endorsement for the APEC AI Initiative, a program centered on expanding AI capacity, infrastructure, and investment.
Although unrelated to technological development, it is worth noting that the Organization also agreed upon the APEC Framework for Cooperation on Population Structure Changes. Many of the member states are facing actual or potential population crises of extreme growth or diminishment. The framework will work to address these issues, with measures including increased education, fiscal resilience and health technologies, all potentially aided through emerging AI technologies.
