By Agnes Javed
SHANGHAI, July 17 (Wealth Pakistan): Pakistan officially became a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) on July 16, as Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, signed the organization’s founding agreement at a signing ceremony held in Shanghai.
The signing marked the formal inauguration of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, an independent intergovernmental body dedicated to advancing international cooperation and global governance on artificial intelligence.
Headquartered in Shanghai, the organization acts in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and upholds the vision of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. Centered on a people-first approach, it strives to boost cross-border AI collaboration, promote human-centric technological progress, and ensure artificial intelligence develops in a beneficial, secure and equitable manner for the good of all mankind.
Representatives from 29 countries put their signatures on the founding agreement to become WAICO’s founding members, including Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, together with representatives from various countries and international organizations, attended the ceremony. Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, also signed the agreement on behalf of the Chinese government.
On the evening of July 16, Wang Yi met with Dar in Shanghai, where Dar was present for the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the WAICO founding ceremony.
Wang welcomed Dar’s visit to China to attend the conference and sign the founding document on behalf of Pakistan. He noted that Pakistan’s accession to WAICO serves the long-term interests of Pakistan and its people, and adds new connotations to the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
Describing artificial intelligence as a new frontier of technological advancement, Wang stated that as a responsible major country, China has partnered with like-minded nations to launch this organization. The initiative aims to build international consensus, carry out practical cooperation, strengthen capacity building, and enable all countries — especially those in the Global South — to share equal gains from the AI revolution while preventing a widening intelligence divide.
China stands ready to deepen coordination and cooperation with Pakistan to advance the inclusive, people-benefiting development of AI, drive economic growth in developing countries and fuel global technological innovation, Wang added.
Wang also reiterated the long-standing ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan. He called on both sides to fully implement important consensus reached by state leaders, sustain high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, expand cooperation across key sectors, step up counter-terrorism and security cooperation, and accelerate efforts to forge an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
Dar extended his congratulations to China on the establishment of WAICO, calling it a remarkable initiative with far-reaching implications for humanity and the Global South, which has won wide acclaim from the international community and fully demonstrated China’s sense of responsibility as a major power.
He said Pakistan is honored to be one of the organization’s founding members and looks forward to broadening cooperation with China in artificial intelligence and other sectors.
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects operating in the country, pushing forward the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and further consolidating the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two nations.
