China Invites SCO Member Nations to Collaborate on Building a Centralized AI Application Hub

China has extended a significant invitation to the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to collaboratively build an artificial intelligence (AI) application center. The proposal was shared during the opening of the 2025 China-SCO AI Cooperation Forum, which is being held in the bustling northern city of Tianjin. The move marks a pivotal step toward deepening regional cooperation in emerging digital technologies and signals China’s commitment to advancing AI development across the Eurasian bloc.
The newly unveiled China-SCO Member States AI Application Cooperation Center Construction Plan lays out a detailed framework for multilateral efforts in the field. Key objectives within the plan include talent cultivation, fostering stronger industrial collaboration, and stepping up joint efforts to develop and share open-source AI services. These goals are designed not only to stimulate technological innovation but also to ensure that the benefits of AI are widely accessible among SCO nations.
With the theme, "Intelligence Converges in China, Wisdom Benefits SCO," the forum emphasizes practical cooperation in AI development and governance. It brings together experts, officials, and industry leaders to discuss strategies that will accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies and best practices. The event aims to provide a foundation for sustained dialogue on responsible AI usage, ethics, and regulatory frameworks.
At the forum, Huang Ru, a leading official from China’s National Development and Reform Commission, emphasized the urgency of intensified collaboration on AI between SCO countries. Huang noted that advancing AI technology and applications would serve as a powerful engine for economic and social progress throughout the bloc. Moreover, such cooperation could help close the global digital divide and support more inclusive international growth.
China reaffirmed its readiness to uphold the “Shanghai Spirit”—a commitment to mutual trust, benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse cultures, and pursuit of common development. Officials underscored the importance of ensuring that AI’s evolution remains beneficial, secure, and equitable for all member states, positioning the new center as a potential model of international technology partnership in the digital age.