SHANGHAI, JUL 17 /DNA/ – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar concluded a two-day visit to Shanghai on Friday, during which Pakistan formally became a founding member of the newly established World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO).

Dar signed the WAICO founding agreement on Pakistan’s behalf, joining representatives from 29 countries at the signing ceremony. The agreement establishes WAICO as an independent intergovernmental international organization headquartered in Shanghai, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signing on behalf of Beijing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the ceremony, and founding members reportedly span Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, along with roughly 10 African and 12 Asian nations.

The signing was preceded by a banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in honour of the visiting delegations. Dar also attended the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), inaugurated by President Xi. The four-day WAIC conference began the following day in Shanghai.

On the sidelines, Dar held a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where he emphasized the importance of ensuring equitable access to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies for developing nations. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties and agreed that technological progress should be harnessed to support sustainable development and socio-economic advancement in the developing world.

Dar also held a series of meetings with counterparts and other dignitaries on the margins of the conference to discuss bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

WAICO was first proposed by China in July last year, and Thursday’s signing marked its formal establishment. The organization aims to support the safe, fair and beneficial development of AI technologies through multilateral collaboration and commits to upholding the principles of the UN Charter while promoting a people-centred approach to AI development. Analysts have described the move as a significant step by Beijing to institutionalize its influence over the rules governing the global digital economy and emerging technologies, noting the absence of major U.S. technology firms at the Shanghai summit amid broader competition between Washington and Beijing over global AI governance.

Islamabad has framed its participation as part of efforts to strengthen Pakistan-China cooperation in artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and emerging technologies, while contributing to bridging the global digital divide.=DNA

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