Notes from the Asia-Pacific region: China’s ‘Two Sessions’ looks to country’s AI future
Notes from the Asia-Pacific region: China’s ‘Two Sessions’ looks to country’s AI future
Publish Date: 2026-03-19 12:12:00
Source Domain: iapp.org
- Spring has arrived in China, sparking increased activity in the data and artificial intelligence (AI) landscape.
- During the “Two Sessions” in March, China’s Premier Li Qiang emphasized AI as a key driver for the country’s new quality productive forces.
- The government plans to promote the development of new-generation smart devices and agentic AI, while focusing on building open-source AI infrastructure and enhancing AI governance to balance innovation and risk.
- The Supreme Court announced an expedited legislative process for AI laws and regulations, aiming to handle more AI-related cases and guide businesses on complex issues.
- In March 2026, the OpenClaw project (nicknamed “Lobster”) gained widespread popularity in China due to its advanced decision-making and automation capabilities.
- OpenClaw’s architecture raised significant security and privacy risks like plug-in vulnerabilities and data leakage, prompting government regulators to issue risk alerts.
- Similar regulatory approaches have been taken in Hong Kong, where privacy and cybersecurity risks have been emphasized, urging users to implement proper risk management strategies for deploying agentic AI.
