TLDR: At the Beijing Forum on November 8, 2025, world leaders and scholars convened to advocate for enhanced AI collaboration with China and the establishment of shared ethical standards. Discussions highlighted China’s significant role in AI innovation, its vast talent pool, data resources, and vibrant market, while emphasizing the urgent need for responsible AI development and governance amidst its rapid advancement. The forum, themed ‘Civilizational Coexistence in the Age of Digital Intelligence,’ saw participation from over 400 guests from 36 countries and regions.
Beijing, November 8, 2025 – The Beijing Forum, a prominent international gathering, concluded today with a strong call from global leaders for increased collaboration with China on artificial intelligence and the urgent establishment of shared ethical standards for its development and deployment. The forum, hosted by Peking University and co-sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, brought together over 400 guests and scholars from 36 countries and regions under the theme ‘Civilizational Coexistence in the Age of Digital Intelligence.’
Participants underscored China’s pivotal role in fostering global harmony through innovation in the digital age, citing its extensive talent pool, rich data resources, and dynamic AI market. This sentiment was echoed by Park Jin, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, who, in his opening remarks, highlighted the crucial contributions China makes to the global AI landscape. Park also detailed the robust scientific cooperation between China and South Korea, which includes joint efforts in robotics, AI research, climate science, carbon capture, green hydrogen, polar exploration, and AI-based disaster prediction, with shared data results. Both nations are actively collaborating under the UNESCO AI Ethics Guidelines.
The accelerating pace of AI development was a central theme, prompting discussions on the increasing urgency of addressing questions of ethics, trust, and responsible use. Michael Levitt, Nobel laureate in Chemistry 2013 and professor at Stanford University, contributed to this discourse by suggesting that AI should be considered one of several forms of intelligence, alongside biological and cultural intelligence, that are collectively shaping the future.
This forum follows recent international dialogues on AI governance. Earlier this year, at the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting in Incheon, South Korea, a broad consensus was reached among participating economies that artificial intelligence and digital transformation are key drivers of sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. Ministers at that meeting discussed responsible digital innovation and the trustworthy use of AI.
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China has consistently championed global AI cooperation and governance. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the APEC summit on November 1, 2025, proposed the creation of a ‘World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation’ to establish governance rules and promote cooperation, aiming to make AI a ‘public good for the international community.’ Furthermore, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, speaking at the World AI Conference in Shanghai on July 26, 2025, emphasized the need for a global consensus on balancing AI development with security risks. He advocated for open-source AI development and announced the establishment of a Chinese-led body for international AI cooperation, warning against technological monopolies that could limit AI’s benefits to a select few countries and enterprises. Li also identified the ‘insufficient supply of computing power and chips’ as a significant bottleneck in AI advancement. These initiatives contrast with approaches from some nations, such as the United States, which has pursued a low-regulation strategy to foster private sector AI development.
