China voices opposition to US new export rules

China expressed firm opposition on Tuesday to the United States' newly unveiled export rules on chips used for artificial intelligence, calling it an "obstacle strategy" with the fundamental purpose to deprive China and many other developing countries' right to technological progress.

Noting that AI is a shared asset of all mankind, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that AI should not become a "game for wealthy countries and individuals" used to create new "development divides".

"In order to maintain its hegemony, the US is imposing hierarchy in the AI field based on countries' proximity with Washington. The fundamental purpose is to deprive a large number of developing countries, including China, of the right to technological progress and development," Guo said at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

The spokesman said this "obstacle strategy" goes against the common interests of all countries in promoting the benevolent development of artificial intelligence and has sparked concerns from various sectors about the US initiating a "new technology Cold War".

According to Guo, as an active advocate and practitioner of global governance of AI, China has put forward the Global Initiative for AI Governance and proposed to set up the Group of Friends of International Cooperation in AI Capacity Building, among others.

"China will continue to work with all parties to adhere to openness without erecting walls, connectivity without decoupling, equality without discrimination, and create an open, inclusive, beneficial, and non-discriminatory environment for the development of AI so that its benefits can reach all countries," Guo said.

The spokesman noted that the US has been overstretching the concept of national security, politicizing and weaponizing economic, trade and technological issues, and abusing its export controls in order to maliciously keep down China.

"(Such acts) severely violate market principles and the international trade order, seriously undermine the stability of the global industrial and supply chains, and harm the interests of the two countries as well as their commercial and business communities," Guo said.

"China will take resolute measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," he added.