China has confirmed plans to send a delegation to India’s forthcoming AI summit, marking a positive shift in relations between the two nations. Scheduled for February 16-20 in New Delhi, the delegation will be led by a vice minister from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology. This development comes after India extended an official invitation to Beijing, as reported by Chinese state media.
The upcoming summit is expected to draw participation from various Chinese businesses, indicating a renewed emphasis on collaboration in artificial intelligence. This event represents the first public acknowledgment of China’s involvement in the summit, following prior tensions that arose from a border skirmish in 2020, which strained bilateral relations and led India to ban several Chinese mobile applications for security reasons.
In recent months, however, diplomatic relations have shown signs of improvement. Direct flights and tourist visas were reinstated after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit last August. Additionally, visuals of Modi, Xi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin sharing a light moment during the event have contributed to a thaw in relations.
As the AI summit approaches, prominent figures from the U.S., including Bill Gates and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, are also expected to attend, coinciding with the Lunar New Year festivities in China.
Why this story matters
- The involvement of China in the AI summit highlights a significant thaw in Sino-Indian relations.
Key takeaway
- Improved diplomatic ties may facilitate future cooperation on technology and trade between China and India.
Opposing viewpoint
- Despite signs of improvement, underlying tensions remain, particularly regarding border security and economic competition.
