Chinese adviser warns AI decoupling from US would be difficult, urges against cold war

Zheng Yongnian, a top Chinese policy adviser, publicly cautioned that US-China AI competition must not escalate into a cold war and that complete decoupling is impractical. The remarks, timed ahead of the Xi-Trump summit, signal Beijing's willingness to manage AI rivalry, though the summit's outcome remains uncertain. This matters as it frames the diplomatic tone for AI governance and tech trade between the two powers.