Global Tensions Rise Over U.S. Measures on AI Investments in China

China’s U.N. envoy criticized U.S. measures targeting AI investments in China, calling them detrimental to the healthy development of AI technology and global governance. The U.S. proposed new rules to curb investments that could threaten national security. China urged for more inclusive international collaboration on AI standards.

U.S. targeting of certain investments in artificial intelligence in China is not helpful to the "healthy development" of AI technology and will be divisive when it comes to global governance, China's U.N. envoy said on Monday.

The United States last month issued draft rules for banning or requiring notification of certain investments in artificial intelligence and other technology sectors in China that could threaten U.S. national security. "We are firmly opposed to these sanctions," Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong told reporters after the 193-member U.N. General Assembly adopted by consensus a Chinese-drafted resolution aimed at boosting international cooperation on AI capacity-building.

The U.N resolution calls upon the international community to "provide and promote a fair, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory business environment across the life cycle of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems." Fu said the U.S. actions do not foster an inclusive business environment and he urged Washington to reverse its decision.

"We don't believe that the U.S. government's position or decision will be helpful to the healthy development of the AI technology, per se, and will - by extension - divide the world in terms of the standards and in terms of the rules governing the AI," he said. The U.S. Treasury Department published the proposed rules after U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order last August as part of a broader push to prevent U.S. know-how from helping the Chinese to develop sophisticated technology and dominate global markets.