PNG Pursues AI Growth with China as Global Workshop Wraps Up
The Government of Papua New Guinea is expanding its cooperation with China in the field of artificial intelligence, following a major international workshop on AI capacity building held at Tsinghua University in Beijing from May 12 to 17, 2025.
Representing PNG at the event was Deputy Secretary for the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Mr. Russell Woruba, who joined participants from nearly 40 countries. The workshop emphasized how artificial intelligence can act as a powerful catalyst for national development and aligns with PNG’s strategic goals outlined under the PNG Digital Government Act 2022.
PNG Pursues AI Growth with China as Global Workshop Wraps Up [Photo by DICT]
Beijing’s AI industry was presented as a successful model, with 2,400 companies and 120 large language models powering innovation across China. Delegates explored the four evolutionary phases of Chinese AI development—from early knowledge building to the current phase focused on commercialization and industry-research collaboration.
Participants learned how Chinese universities have become engines for innovation by launching startups and applying AI to practical challenges. Among the standout examples was TrackAI, an AI-powered tool aimed at improving access to healthcare for people with disabilities.
The workshop highlighted the transformative role AI can play in improving sectors like agriculture, education, and health through intelligent systems, predictive tools, and adaptive learning. PNG is now looking to develop a local innovation ecosystem that supports patent creation and startup formation through a cluster-based approach.
These developments also reflect PNG’s commitment to the Lagatoi Declaration, endorsed during the recent Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. The declaration calls for regional collaboration among Pacific nations to use emerging technologies, such as AI, to tackle shared development challenges.
PNG is also exploring opportunities to build long-term partnerships with institutions like Tsinghua University and Chinese technology hubs. In addition, the country may seek funding through international mechanisms like the UN Global Fund on AI, supporting local capacity building and cementing PNG’s role as a regional leader in digital transformation.
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