World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO): Founding Details, Signatories, and Geopolitical Fallout

On July 16, 2026, twenty-nine countries signed the founding agreement for the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) in Shanghai, China, at the World AI Conference (WAIC) . Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed on behalf of Beijing . The organization was first proposed by Premier Li Qiang on July 26, 2025 . UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the ceremony .

Which Countries Signed?

The 29 signatories include China, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, and Indonesia . The broader group comprises 10 African countries, 12 Asian countries, plus the Latin American and European members listed above . No major Western economy (e.g., US, UK, Germany, France, Japan) signed.

What Are WAICO's Three Operational Goals?

WAICO is an independent intergovernmental organization headquartered in Shanghai that aims to:

• Promote international cooperation in AI
• Advance global governance of AI
• Ensure the safe, equitable development of AI

How WAICO Differs from Western AI Initiatives

An academic analysis from Tsinghua University's Center for International Security and Strategy finds that WAICO's design combines three features no existing multilateral AI body currently offers: membership open to any sovereign state, no values or regime-type test for entry, and an agenda built around development and bridging the global capability divide . This directly contrasts with the G7's Hiroshima AI Process and Washington's Pax Silica initiative, which are limited to like-minded Western-aligned democracies and have stricter membership criteria .

Geopolitical Context: US Export Controls and French Criticism

WAICO is widely seen as Beijing's direct institutional counterweight to US-led AI governance efforts:

• US export controls: The US has aggressively restricted China's access to advanced AI chips and technology. WAICO offers an institutional venue for China and partner states to coordinate on AI development outside US-controlled supply chains .
• French criticism: France has been among the most vocal European critics, arguing that WAICO is a Chinese attempt to weaken Western AI safety standards and create a forum where authoritarian governance models are normalized. French officials have described it as an effort to "undermine the value-based approach" of the Hiroshima Process .

China's Framing: AI Governance as a Development Issue

China frames WAICO as a response to the "global South's" needs, arguing that AI governance must prioritize development, capacity-building, and narrowing the digital divide rather than just safety and human rights concerns that dominate Western frameworks . This framing is designed to attract developing nations that feel excluded from US-led AI diplomacy.

Will Major Western Economies Join?

As of the signing date, no major Western economy has joined. The open-membership clause means any country could theoretically sign later, but it is considered unlikely in the near term. The US, EU, and G7 members view WAICO as a Chinese-led vehicle for setting AI standards that may conflict with their own regulatory models and security interests . The key uncertainty is whether middle-power allies (e.g., South Korea, Singapore, Turkey, Saudi Arabia) might eventually join, which would significantly boost WAICO's legitimacy.