Chinese state media and commentators say the Trump administration called for the AI summit because it fears Beijing is gaining the upper hand in the global AI race, particularly after China forged AI partnerships with 28 nations, mainly from the Global South, at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on July 17.
They say Washington will further tighten its controls on AI development in China, but the Chinese consensus is that more curbs will only push Chinese firms to advance their self-sufficiency and build an AI ecosystem.