Head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union Ambassador Jiang Feng's Op-Ed: China's Digital Intelligence Empowers Africa

On September 11, 2026, Amb. Jiang Feng, head of Mission of China to the AU and Representative of China to the UNECA published an op-ed entitled China's Digital Intelligence Empowers Africa in the mainstream media of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Herald. The full text is as follows:

The African Union and the World Meteorological Organization have recently warned that the world may face its strongest Super El Niño since 1950 during the 2026-2027 period, potentially causing economic losses of US$10 billion to US$20 billion across Africa. By integrating multi-source data-including weather radar, satellite remote sensing, hydrological monitoring, and historical disaster records, AI can significantly enhance the timeliness, accuracy, and geographic coverage of disaster forecasting and early warning systems. 

In July 2026, at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, China officially unveiled MAZU, the world's first national-level action plan aligned with the United Nations' Early Warnings for All initiative. Designed as a shared, customizable, and sustainable international public good for developing countries, MAZU has already been deployed in Ethiopia and Djibouti. The platform is expected to provide crucial technological support to help African countries better prepare for extreme weather events, such as the impending Super El Niño. As a key driver of the current technological revolution and industrial transformation, AI holds tremendous potential to serve as a powerful engine for Africa's leapfrog development.

China's AI applications are playing a pivotal role in upgrading African industries. In 2025, China's core AI industry was valued at over 1.2 trillion yuan (approximately $173.9 billion), comprising more than 6,200 companies. Chinese enterprises are introducing intelligent manufacturing, automated production, and industrial internet technologies to Africa's manufacturing, mining, energy, and transportation sectors. These innovations are enhancing production efficiency, product quality, and resource utilization, thereby accelerating the transition of traditional African industries from extensive, factor-driven growth to intensive, efficient, and intelligent development. Notably, technology giants like Huawei have long supported Ethiopia's digital infrastructure, including computing power and 5G networks, helping the country advance its capabilities in cloud computing and big data.

The cost-effectiveness of Chinese AI models are enabling Africa to share more in the benefits of artificial intelligence development. Compared to the U.S. and western developed countries, Chinese AI large language models have garnered growing attention from users and developers globally, including in the U.S. and western countries. A 2026 AI industry report by  the Union Bank of Switzerland estimates that the training costs for leading Chinese AI models are approximately one-tenth those of their U.S. equivalents. In July, H.E. Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, the African Union Commission's Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, attended the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference on behalf of the African Union. In an interview with China Media Group, he highly commended China's leading role in advancing global AI governance. He also noted that China has provided crucial support for the localization of AI applications and capacity building in Africa, expressing the continent's expectation to deepen cooperation and harness artificial intelligence to further support Africa's economic and social development.

China's AI governance initiatives are bolstering Africa's efforts to strengthen digital sovereignty. By advocating for the safe, reliable, and responsible development and application of AI, China offers valuable insights for African countries addressing emerging challenges such as disinformation, algorithmic bias, excessive algorithmic intervention, and data security. These efforts promote digital autonomy across the continent. Furthermore, China's Position Paper on Global Cyber Governance in the Digital Intelligent Age, which emphasizes respecting digital sovereignty and promoting inclusive development, aligns with the core principles of the African Union's Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy.

China's international AI cooperation initiatives are helping Africa integrate into the global AI landscape. China engages in international AI cooperation with the aim of bridging the global intelligence divide. At the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, President Xi Jinping shared four observations centered on development, security, civilization, and governance. These observations offer Chinese perspectives and solutions for advancing global AI governance, bridging the AI and digital divides, and safeguarding common security. UN Secretary-General António Guterres highly praised China's initiative to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, and expressed strong support for the principles of AI for Good, inclusivity, and security outlined by President Xi Jinping, noting their close alignment with the United Nations' strategic goals.

The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, proposed to establish by China, is guided by a people-centered approach and committed to building an open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial platform for international cooperation. It has become an important intergovernmental multilateral platform for AI cooperation, with broad geographic representation and strong participation from developing countries. 14 African countries, including Ethiopia and South Africa, have joined the organization, and more African countries are welcomed to join.  

China stands ready to work with the African Union and African countries to deepen practical cooperation in AI and expand its application in areas such as digital infrastructure, traditional and emerging industries, and public services and governance. Together, we can harness AI as a powerful driver of Africa's modernization and development, promote AI that delivers greater benefits to people in all countries, and work together to build a better future for AI.