China is expanding its influence in the Global South by distributing its artificial intelligence (AI)-based early warning weather system to developing countries. This initiative is seen as a move to strengthen technological diplomacy by promoting weather and disaster response technology as an 'international public good.'
According to the South China Morning Post on July 20, China's AI early warning weather system, named 'Mazu,' is currently operational in seven developing countries: Pakistan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mongolia, the Solomon Islands, and Sri Lanka.
A public cloud version has completed trial operations in 40 countries in the Global South. There are increasing real-world applications, such as disaster alerts in Pakistan and urban flood predictions in Nigeria.
Mazu was first unveiled at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai last year, and this year's event showcased its overseas applications. The system is named after Mazu, the goddess of the sea in Chinese mythology, and was designed with international distribution in mind from the outset.
During the WAIC opening ceremony on July 17, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans to implement Mazu in 30 countries over the next five years.
Pan Jinjun, a senior engineer at the China Meteorological Administration, stated, 'Mazu provides tailored early warning services for developing countries and will be a key technology for enhancing extreme weather response capabilities through rapid forecasting across vast regions.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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