WESF plays a role in promoting standardization and eliminating global trade barriers.
On September 16, at the opening ceremony of the 2025 International Technology Transfer and Innovation Cooperation Conference for ASEAN, the Ministry of Science and Technology released the "Three-Year Work Plan for Enhancing Scientific and Technological Capabilities through AI-Empowered Development for ASEAN (2025–2027)". The plan aims to promote cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in artificial intelligence technology exchange, industrial enablement, capacity building, and talent cultivation, jointly fostering an innovative AI ecosystem.
Photo: Scene from the opening ceremony of the 2025 International Technology Transfer and Innovation Cooperation Conference for ASEAN (Photo provided by the organizer).
The plan proposes the implementation of a number of joint AI technology research projects and the cooperative development of large language models for local languages. It also highlights efforts to build domain-specific AI application scenarios in key fields such as industrial manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, transportation, and education in ASEAN countries. Additionally, it calls for the establishment of China-ASEAN AI joint laboratories and professional AI technical service platforms for ASEAN countries. The plan supports ASEAN AI scientists in conducting academic exchanges and research collaborations in China, promoting mutual exchange of AI talent. It further encourages joint efforts with ASEAN countries to advance intelligent infrastructure construction, promote the co-development and sharing of small-language corpora and diverse datasets, and establish a China-ASEAN AI Computing Power Alliance to provide accessible and affordable computing services to ASEAN nations.
The plan also advocates for the collaborative development of an open-source AI community, promoting model open-sourcing and infrastructure sharing to reduce the global digital divide.
During the conference, a series of projects supporting the construction of the China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Innovation Cooperation Center were also announced. These include the launch of the China-ASEAN Open-Source AI Alliance and the first batch of industry-specific vertical model projects in areas such as power equipment, non-ferrous metals, smart water transport, sugar industry, and connected vehicles.