US Newspaper: China Asks AI Industry Leaders to Avoid Traveling to the US for Fear of Arrest

According to the Wall Street Journal, China is concerned about the risk of confidential information being leaked, as well as the possibility that AI entrepreneurs could be arrested, as happened in the case of a Huawei director being arrested in Canada at the request of the United States.

The US and China are competing fiercely in the global AI race - Photo: AFP

According to Reuters, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on February 28 cited sources saying that Chinese authorities are instructing the country's leading researchers and entrepreneurs in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid business trips to the United States.

Specifically, leaders at leading Chinese companies in AI and other sensitive industries such as robotics are being advised not to travel to the US and Washington's allies unless absolutely necessary.

Those who decide to go will be instructed to report their plans before leaving China, and upon returning will brief the authorities on what they have done and who they have met.

Sources said that DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng declined an invitation to attend the AI summit in Paris (France) held last February.

Last year, the founder of another major Chinese AI startup canceled plans to visit the US, after receiving instructions from Beijing.

According to the newspaper, China is concerned that AI experts going abroad could reveal confidential information about the country's development progress.

Officials are also concerned that AI leaders could be detained and used as bargaining chips in US-China negotiations, similar to the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada at Washington’s request during Mr Trump’s first term.

The White House and China's State Council Information Office did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The US and China are locked in a fierce competition in the global AI race. DeepSeek recently released AI models that are said to be able to compete with, and even surpass, leading US companies like OpenAI and Google, at a significantly lower cost.

In February, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a rare meeting with the country’s top tech figures, urging them to “show their talents” and be confident in the power of the Chinese model and market.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bao-my-trung-quoc-yeu-cau-cac-lanh-dao-nganh-ai-tranh-di-my-vi-so-bi-bat-2025030113084605.htm