China Resists US Calls for AI Slowdown, Viewing Them as Attempts to Lock in American Advantage
As geopolitical tensions rise over artificial intelligence development, China is pushing back against US proposals for a global slowdown, arguing these moves are designed to preserve American technological dominance. While US figures like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei advocate for pacing and export controls, Chinese officials criticize such rhetoric as fearmongering. Despite the conflict, analysts note some common ground on safety issues, even as China balances strict state regulation with aggressive domestic adoption of AI across sectors like manufacturing and education.
China is actively resisting calls from the United States for a slowdown in artificial intelligence development, viewing such proposals as strategic attempts to lock in American technological advantage. This stance has intensified geopolitical friction, particularly as high-profile US industry leaders advocate for global pacing mechanisms and continued export controls.
Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has proposed a "worldwide pacing of the frontier" that would require cooperation with China. However, he explicitly linked maintaining democracies' AI lead over autocracies to the continuation of export controls on advanced chips to China. In response, China's Foreign Ministry stated that fearmongering and vicious competition disrupt global AI governance.
Lian Jye Su, an analyst at Omdia, noted that Beijing perceives US calls for a slowdown not as genuine safety concerns, but as a bid to secure long-term US superiority. Conversely, Gabriel Wagner from Concordia observed that there is more common ground between Amodei’s views and the Chinese government’s stance than often assumed, particularly regarding specific safety risks.
Despite the diplomatic tension, China has released its third iteration of an AI safety governance framework. This document addresses emerging risks, including those posed by autonomous agents and recursive self-improvement. Analysts agree that frontier US AI models currently remain ahead of their Chinese counterparts. Leia Wang from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) pointed out that Chinese companies generally conduct less voluntary monitoring and evaluation work than their US peers.
Domestically, China maintains a dual approach: strict state regulation combined with aggressive promotion of AI adoption. The country has maintained an algorithm registry since 2022, and this year, Beijing issued national regulations aimed at curbing emotional dependency on companion AIs. Meanwhile, the digital health service A-fu recently reached 150 million users, illustrating the scale of integration into daily life.
The push for adoption extends to industrial sectors. Black Lake Technologies, for instance, works with approximately 40,000 factories to integrate AI solutions. Education entrepreneur Boris But began developing an AI study tool after noticing clients were already using chatbots for information gathering. This widespread deployment is driven by a belief within the Chinese Communist Party that mastering AI is essential for national progress.
The political landscape adds further complexity. US President Donald Trump has dismissed fears that AI could wipe out humanity as a "hoax," contrasting sharply with warnings from Silicon Valley insiders and the risk acknowledgments found in Chinese safety frameworks. Trump is scheduled to meet Xi Jinping in Washington next week, with AI expected to be a key item on the agenda.