Policy & RegulationAnalysis
NDRC Unveils Eight-Pillar Action Plan for Global AI Cooperation and Governance
China's top economic planner outlines proposals for cross-border data spaces, open-source sharing, and inclusive computing power tailored for developing nations.
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The Brief
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has released the Action Plan for AI Cooperative Development, establishing an eight-part framework to guide international artificial intelligence collaboration. Issued by the NDRC’s Department of High-Tech Industry, the plan prioritizes cross-border data flows via trusted data spaces, joint open-source communities, and green computing infrastructure for developing countries. It also outlines steps for aligning technical standards, co-cultivating talent, and strengthening safety governance to manage security risks associated with rapid AI deployment.
Why it matters
The action plan provides a policy roadmap for how Beijing intends to shape global AI governance and technical infrastructure, particularly across the Global South. By framing AI as a public good and promoting cross-border data spaces, green compute, and open-source models, the policy extends China's domestic 'AI+' strategy internationally, offering developing nations an alternative framework for digital capacity building and standard setting.
China context
Drafted by the NDRC's High-Tech Department, this initiative directly extends China's internal 'AI+' deployment strategy into its foreign policy and international economic coordination. It signals Beijing's ambition to link domestic data, compute, and regulatory standards with overseas partners. In contrast to Western-led AI safety alliances focused primarily on frontier risk mitigation, China's plan emphasizes compute accessibility, open-source sharing, and economic empowerment for developing economies.
Editor's View
EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting.
While the action plan presents an expansive blueprint for global AI engagement, its success will depend on practical execution. Implementing cross-border trusted data spaces will require overcoming complex legal and data sovereignty hurdles. Furthermore, offering compute infrastructure and open-source foundation models to developing nations reinforces Beijing's strategy to expand its digital presence in the Global South, even as Western governments maintain tight scrutiny over cross-border technological interdependencies.
What to watch
- Selection of initial domains and concrete operational rules for pilot cross-border trusted data spaces.
- Progress in launching international open-source AI communities and foundation model sharing platforms.
- Bilateral agreements on green smart computing infrastructure and talent training projects in developing nations.
Key Takeaways
- 1NDRC's High-Tech Department published an eight-pillar action plan for global AI cooperation.
- 2Focuses on cross-border trusted data spaces, multilingual corpora, and green computing for developing countries.
- 3Promotes international open-source communities, foundation model sharing, and alignment of technical standards.
- 4Outlines collaborative security mechanisms for cybersecurity threat sharing and model transparency.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has published the Action Plan for AI Cooperative Development, establishing a policy blueprint for international engagement in artificial intelligence [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. Lead-authored by the NDRC’s Department of High-Tech Industry, the document outlines eight core pillars designed to expand technical infrastructure, data sharing, and governance standards worldwide [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7].
Under the High-Quality Data Supply Action, the plan calls for constructing and operating cross-border trusted data spaces in selected domains to facilitate efficient and secure data flows [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. It also advocates building shared, high-quality, multilingual datasets to support global AI model development [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7].
To address computing constraints, the Inclusive Smart Computing Power Action focuses on interconnecting smart compute infrastructure and offering affordable computing services to developing nations [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. The NDRC highlights powering this infrastructure with green energy to maintain environmental sustainability [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7].
The plan further emphasizes an international open-source ecosystem [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. It encourages sharing general foundation models, algorithms, and developer tools, enabling partner nations to pursue localized innovation [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. Alongside technology sharing, the initiative proposes deep sector integration through 'AI+' industrial platforms across science, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and agriculture [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7].
Regarding governance and human capital, the document proposes joint programs for training digital talent and establishing international vocational certification standards [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. It advocates aligning technical standards and regulatory rules while building collaborative safety mechanisms to share cybersecurity threat intelligence, improve model interpretability, and prevent technology misuse [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7]. Finally, the plan reaffirms ethical principles centered on transparency, privacy, and human-centric AI development [6a68a4acaf67af850f71dee7].
Sources
- 【人工智能合作发展行动计划】-国家发展和改革委员会 — National Development and Reform Commission · 7/28/2026