China’s Premier Li Qiang warned on Wednesday of the growing risks associated with rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing the urgent need for governments worldwide to strengthen regulatory frameworks to prevent losing control over this frontier technology. Speaking at the “Annual Meeting of the New Champions” in Dalian, China, an event organized by the World Economic Forum, Li highlighted the unprecedented speed of technological progress and its impact on innovation efficiency, while cautioning about the potential consequences of inadequate governance.
Li stressed that while AI drives significant economic growth and innovation, emerging ethical challenges and risks—including the potential for AI to disrupt labor markets, compromise cyber defenses, and facilitate new forms of bioweapons—pose serious concerns if left unregulated. “If governance in this area fails to keep pace, there could be serious consequences,” he said, underscoring the critical need to establish effective oversight mechanisms.
The conference also addressed broader economic and geopolitical challenges facing the global economy. Mirek Dusek, managing director of the World Economic Forum, noted the transformative opportunities AI presents in sectors such as education and healthcare but warned of a possible backlash if technologies fail to deliver tangible benefits to the real economy. Dusek described the current economic environment as “tepid,” citing factors such as the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran and resulting disruptions to Middle Eastern oil shipping as key headwinds. The World Bank has accordingly lowered its global growth forecast for 2026 to its weakest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid these challenges, Premier Li portrayed China’s economy—the world’s second-largest after the United States—as a “safe haven” providing stability amid global uncertainties, including energy shortages and disruptions in production and supply chains. Despite robust export growth and advances in AI, China continues to grapple with sluggish domestic consumption and structural issues in its property market, which have constrained growth since the pandemic.
The forum also saw discussions on escalating tensions between China and the United States. Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School, highlighted the risk of conflict between the two powers, invoking his well-known “Thucydides trap” theory, which posits that rivalry between a rising and established power increases the chance of war. However, Allison expressed cautious optimism following last month’s Beijing summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Xi reportedly proposed moving beyond historical patterns of conflict to create a new framework for major-power relations, a move Allison interpreted as a deliberate attempt to avoid confrontation.
Despite describing Trump as unpredictable, Allison acknowledged the former president’s recognition of China’s distinct position, especially after Beijing restricted U.S. access to critical rare-earth minerals in response to tariffs during Trump’s administration. He concluded that both leaders appear to be seeking ways to reframe the bilateral relationship to mitigate risks associated with great-power competition.