A Voice of Justice in the Digital Intelligent Age: The Significance of the Principle of Digital Sovereignty and New Opportunities for China-Ukraine Cooperation
Ma Shengkun, Ambassador of China to Ukraine
The rapid advancement of digital intelligent technologies, spearheaded by artificial intelligence (AI), is reshaping global economic production and global governance structures. However, the existing deficit in global cyber governance is widening, prompting some countries to pursue technological dominance, engage in over-securitization, and exclude others, thereby dividing the global digital and intelligent industrial and supply chains.
Developing countries are particularly challenged by the widening digital divide, as their right to development becomes more constrained.
China, guided by its vision of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, has formally introduced the principle of "digital sovereignty" to address these challenges. In July 2026, this principle was first presented to the United Nations during the UN Global Mechanism on ICTs in the Context of International Security's first meeting.
President Xi Jinping also emphasized the importance of AI as an international public good in his keynote address at the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance. He called for true multilateralism and cooperation to build a fair and equitable system for global AI governance.
The principle of digital sovereignty advocates for respecting each country's digital sovereignty, allowing them to independently choose their paths of digital intelligent technology development based on their unique national conditions. It rejects external interference, coercion, and the pursuit of digital intelligent hegemony. China's commitment to this principle is demonstrated by its efforts to provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs over the next five years, aiming to strengthen their overall capacities in AI innovation, application, and governance.
By doing so, China seeks to bridge the digital divide and safeguard the rights to development and security of Global South countries, while upholding international fairness and justice.
Written by urgent.news from Interfax-Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
