A conceptual image of DeepSeek that has recently stunned global tech industry. Photo: VCG

Lou Qinjian,MK sports spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), highlighted the significant progress made by DeepSeek at a press conference on Tuesday, and said it represents the rise of a group of Chinese companies in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

DeepSeek's adherence to an open-source technological approach has driven the global application of AI technology through open sharing, contributing "Chinese wisdom" to the world. The emergence of companies like DeepSeek demonstrates China's innovation and inclusiveness in technological development, Lou said. 

Lou made the remarks in response to a media question regarding his view that many people have expressed appreciation for China's development of AI, while some countries are concerned about the impact on their national security and the impact of emerging technologies on the stable development of their economies.

DeepSeek is essentially about realizing technological equality. The adoption of DeepSeek, which is low cost, is empowering a wide range of sectors in China, giving smaller companies in various fields more efficiency at low costs, Liu Shangxi, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, told the Global Times on Tuesday on the sidelines of the two sessions. 

Open-source fosters technical exchange and collaboration to accelerate technological iteration and innovation‌, while it reduces technical barriers and costs to promote the widespread adoption and application of technologies‌, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

He noted that the open-source practices of Chinese companies like DeepSeek have not only driven advancements in AI technology‌, but also established an exemplary model for global technological innovation.

Wang highlighted China's strengths and advantages in developing AI from firm policy support and broad application scenarios to the vitality of private enterprises, adding that Chinese AI industries will further contribute to global development in sectors such as intelligent manufacturing, healthcare and financial technologies. 

Lou said that the world is diverse, and technological progress is not confined to a single path. He took the evolution of mobile communication technologies from 3G to 6G‌ as an example, alongside the rise and fall of communication enterprises.

For instance, the Symbian system once dominated the mobile operating system market but declined due to its closed development model‌. Conversely, Android and ARM technologies gained market recognition through open-source collaboration and alignment with technological trends.

Breakthroughs by Chinese tech companies like DeepSeek exemplify how innovation, open sharing and enhancing public well-being remain the right path forward‌.

AI significantly enhances humanity's ability to understand and transform the world, driving the latest technological and industrial shifts. While AI reshapes production dynamics, it also introduces unpredictable risks in security, governance and ethics‌. The Chinese government prioritizes AI development and risk prevention, Lou said.

China legally safeguards data privacy and security, opposes the politicization of economic and tech issues under the guise of "national security" and advocates bridging the global tech divide through initiatives like the Global AI Governance Initiative to prevent technological innovation from becoming a "game for wealthy nations and the wealthy."

Lou noted that China is willing to work with all other countries to continue to promote the healthy development of AI, the growth of the world economy and the well-being of all peoples.

The governance of AI is in the spotlight at the two sessions as the NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members advocate for cracking down on illegal activities by using AI tools, in a bid to stop disinformation.

For instance, Lei Jun, a deputy to the NPC, who is also the founder of Xiaomi, put forward a motion on strengthening the governance of illegal AI deepfakes and voice cloning infringements, according to a statement seen on his social media account.