China and Zambia Urge UN to Expand AI Access

Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Fu Cong and Zambia's permanent representative Chola Milambo co-chaired a meeting of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building on May 5, 2026. The gathering, held at the UN headquarters in New York, focused on the equitable distribution of artificial intelligence digital dividends and the necessity for inclusive global governance.

Fu Cong advocated for a people-centered approach and urged the United Nations to maintain a central role in governance to ensure AI does not become the exclusive preserve of wealthy elites. He highlighted Chinese efforts, including the Global AI Governance Initiative and the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All, as frameworks for sharing benefits across the international community.

China's vice-minister of science and technology, Chen Jiachang, joined the call for strengthened cooperation, noting China's leading role in AI patents and its commitment to an open-source, innovation-driven strategy. Meanwhile, Chola Milambo emphasized the challenges of unequal resource access, stating that engagement with AI must remain anchored in the specific development priorities of the Global South. The group concluded the meeting by planning regional AI capacity-building workshops across Africa and the Asia-Pacific.