Beijing hits back at Anthropic CEO's call to curb China's AI development

Visitors walk past a display depicting artificial intelligence and a human hand at the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on Monday, June 22, 2026. Ng Han Guan/AP hide caption

BEIJING — China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday hit back at a call from the head of Anthropic for the U.S. to curb China's artificial intelligence capabilities, which he issued as he argued for a global slowdown on AI development.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to discuss AI governance, among other topics, at a meeting planned on Sept. 24.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in a lengthy essay published on Saturday warned that a "Chinese lead in AI would pose grave danger for the United States and the world." He called for continuing restrictions on sales of cutting-edge AI chips and chipmaking equipment to China in order to keep the U.S.'s AI edge.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to a question about Amodei's essay by saying that all parties should work together on AI.

"Fearmongering, confrontation and vicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance which serves no one's interest," spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on Monday.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump downplayed calls for his administration to step in to slow down AI development, saying that the U.S. was leading China on AI and that "whoever wins AI, wins."

Amodei also predicted that a swarm of AI "agents" could be able to take over the internet in six to 12 months unless researchers agree to slow down. He said that "global pacing will require cooperation with China, the autocratic country with by far the most advanced AI capabilities."