Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s ambitions to lead the global artificial intelligence (AI) race during an inspection tour of the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center on Tuesday. His visit highlighted the strategic importance of AI in the country’s national development agenda and called for Shanghai to become a globally influential hub for technological innovation.
The Shanghai incubator, home to more than 100 AI enterprises, is one of China’s flagship centers for large-model AI development. During the visit, Xi emphasized that AI is entering a period of “explosive growth,” urging the city to shoulder the “historical mission” of advancing AI innovation, governance, and application. The trip came on the heels of a key study session by the Communist Party’s Political Bureau last Friday, where Xi underscored AI as a cornerstone of the new wave of industrial and technological transformation.
“AI technology is evolving rapidly,” Xi said, stressing the Party’s commitment to strengthening the country’s strategic positioning through top-level design and deepened implementation efforts. His message reinforced recent national strategies focused on technological self-reliance, industrial modernization, and global competitiveness.
At the innovation center, Xi participated in a salon focused on the autonomous evolution of next-generation intelligent agents, engaging directly with young researchers and entrepreneurs. Calling AI a “nascent industry that belongs to young people,” he highlighted the importance of youth innovation in driving breakthroughs. Xi also visited a product experience store, where he interacted with AI-powered devices, including testing smart glasses.
His remarks resonated deeply with industry leaders. Xu Li, CEO of AI giant SenseTime, said Xi’s guidance “chart[s] a clear path forward” and inspires confidence in AI’s role in industrial upgrading and social advancement. Yan Junjie, founder of LLM startup MiniMax, echoed this sentiment, saying Chinese companies are now entering a period of unprecedented opportunity as global AI innovation accelerates.
Experts noted that China has made significant headway in recent years, with its global innovation ranking steadily rising. The country is also experiencing strong growth in high-tech investment. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the first quarter of 2025 saw investment in aerospace manufacturing rise by 30.3%, and computer and office equipment by 28.5%.
“China’s development of new quality productive forces is becoming a vital engine for its economic transformation,” said Li Changan, professor at the University of International Business and Economics.
Looking ahead, industry leaders say the focus will be on advancing multimodal large language models (LLMs), improving computing efficiency, and accelerating AI integration into real-world applications. Xu Li noted that these efforts will not only enhance daily life but also support Shanghai’s ascent as a global AI powerhouse.
With vast data resources, a complete industrial chain, and strong government backing, analysts are optimistic about China’s ability to lead in AI-driven economic restructuring. As Xi’s visit signals, the future of China’s AI ambitions will likely be shaped in innovation hubs like Shanghai.
