China calls for self-sufficiency in AI development

China's President Xi Jinping pledged "self-reliance and self-strengthening" to develop Al in China, state media reported on Saturday, as the country vies with the US for supremacy in artificial intelligence, a key strategic area.

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Xi said China must "overcome" the challenges of developing core Al technologies including high-end chips.

China aims to dominate the Al sector, a goal complicated by the trade standoff with Washington that could further deprive Chinese industry of certain key technologies.

The world’s two leading economies are locked in an escalating tit-for-tat trade battle triggered by US President Donald Trump's new levies on Chinese goods, which have reached 145 percent on many products. Beijing has responded with new 125 percent duties on imports from the United States.