ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

People’s Daily Rejects US AI Distillation Claims Ahead of Xi-Trump Meeting

ai-technology · 2026-09-16

So, the People’s Daily, which is the main newspaper for China’s Communist Party, has pushed back against the US claims that Chinese AI companies are copying American technologies on a large scale. They published a piece on Wednesday arguing that the US doesn’t have the facts or legal grounds to back up these allegations and accused Washington of turning standard practices into political issues. China warned that it might take "countermeasures" if the US tries to use these claims to impact Chinese firms negatively. This statement comes just before President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump are set to meet on September 24, where AI is expected to be a major discussion point. The article called for both countries to collaborate and communicate to manage risks.

Key facts

  • People’s Daily published a commentary on Wednesday rejecting US claims of “industrial-scale” AI distillation by Chinese companies.
  • The newspaper said the US allegations were “without factual or legal basis”.
  • It accused Washington of “politicising” a normal technical and commercial practice.
  • Beijing warned it would take “countermeasures” if Washington used the allegations to contain Chinese companies.
  • The commentary came a week before an expected meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump on September 24.
  • AI may be a key point of dialogue at the meeting.
  • People’s Daily called for both sides to “work towards a common goal, and manage risks through dialogue and communication”.
  • The dispute reflects rising tensions over advanced AI systems between China and the US.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • People’s Daily
  • Communist Party of China

Locations

  • Beijing
  • China
  • United States
  • Washington

Sources