KUALA LUMPUR: Experts from China and ASEAN member states convened for the 2026 China-ASEAN AI Capacity-Building Training Program and High-Level Seminar on AI Frontier Technologies and Governance to explore collaboration and strengthen regional capabilities.
More than 100 participants attended the Friday event, exchanging perspectives on cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies and associated security risks amid fast-paced technological advancement and growing governance challenges.
In his address, Hou Zengguang, vice president of the Chinese Association of Automation and professor at the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighted that the deep融合 of AI with automation and digital technologies is transforming global development patterns and significantly affecting both production systems and everyday life.
Hou added that China has built substantial expertise in automation research, technological innovation, and industrial application, experience that can help advance global scientific and technological progress.
Shahbaz Khan, director and representative to UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, noted that AI is reshaping industries, societies, and modes of international cooperation. While offering unprecedented opportunities, it also presents serious challenges, he said, emphasizing that fostering inclusive collaboration and establishing a fair and equitable AI governance framework is a shared responsibility.
ASEAN nations are at a pivotal moment, according to Aung Kyaw Myat, president of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific, who stressed that developing AI capacity should be treated as a top priority.
Ewe Hong Tat, president of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, observed that AI is rapidly influencing economic systems, public services, national security, and overall societal well-being.
“While its potential is immense, it also raises important questions relating to governance, ethics, cybersecurity, standards, and public trust. These challenges cannot be addressed by any single institution or nation alone, and they require close alignment between government, academia, industry, and international partners,” he said.
The seminar also featured roundtable discussions focusing on AI education, talent development, and future prospects for China-ASEAN cooperation in artificial intelligence.
