China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected calls from Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, advocating for the United States to impose restrictions on China's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. In a statement made during a press conference on September 14, spokesperson Guo Jiakun highlighted that confrontation and competition could hinder global efforts to effectively govern AI technology.

Amodei's comments, articulated in an essay published on September 12, raised concerns that a Chinese lead in AI could pose significant threats to both the United States and the broader international community. He urged for continued limitations on the sale of advanced AI chips and chipmaking equipment to China, asserting that such measures are necessary to maintain the U.S. advantage in the AI sector.

In response to Amodei's remarks, Guo Jiakun emphasized the importance of international cooperation in AI governance, stating, "Fearmongering, confrontation and vicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance which serves no one's interest." This exchange of views comes ahead of a significant meeting scheduled for September 24 between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where AI governance is expected to be a key topic of discussion.

President Trump has downplayed the urgency of calls for his administration to intervene in AI development, asserting that the United States remains ahead of China in this technological race. He remarked, "Whoever wins AI, wins," indicating a belief in the U.S.'s current superiority in AI technology.

Amodei also expressed concerns about the rapid development of autonomous AI agents, warning that they could potentially dominate the internet within six to twelve months unless researchers agree to slow down their advancements. He emphasized that any global effort to regulate AI development would necessitate cooperation with China, which he described as the country with the most advanced AI capabilities.

Chinese companies have made significant strides in developing AI models that are not only powerful but also cost-effective compared to those created by U.S. firms, performing at similar levels in various assessments. In light of this, President Xi Jinping has advocated for establishing a global framework for AI governance that includes participation from countries in the Global South, while also promoting China's role in fostering an open-source AI community.

In a related context, the head of China's Ministry of State Security has called for urgent measures to establish a system aimed at preventing and managing AI-related security risks. This call for action follows a joint cybersecurity advisory issued by U.S. agencies, including the FBI and NSA, which accused Chinese AI developers of engaging in aggressive tactics to extract capabilities from advanced U.S. AI models.

China's Commerce Ministry has dismissed these allegations as unfounded, arguing that the distillation of AI capabilities is a common practice among AI companies, and accused the U.S. of attempting to monopolize the AI industry. The state-run Global Times criticized Amodei's essay, suggesting it serves as a call to contain China's technological progress, framing it as a strategy reminiscent of Cold War tactics.

Experts, including Lizzi C. Lee from the Asia Society Policy Institute, note that both Washington and Beijing are striving to prevent the other from achieving a decisive technological advantage. Lee pointed out the dilemma faced by Beijing: if the U.S. seeks Chinese cooperation on AI safety while simultaneously restricting its access to advanced technologies, the nature of such cooperation remains uncertain.