China Issues Guidelines for "New Productive Forces": AI Must Be Safe, Reliable and Controllable

What Happened

On Friday, October 9, state-run Xinhua reported that China issued new guidelines for developing "new productive forces." The guidelines state that China will build technology monitoring, risk-warning and emergency-response systems to ensure artificial intelligence is safe, reliable and controllable, according to Reuters, which cited the Xinhua report the same day.

The guidelines also stress strict accountability for those responsible for major losses caused by "blind" investment in "new productive forces," including AI and a range of other frontier technologies. They further call for the healthy, orderly development of the low-altitude economy — businesses built around civilian drones, air taxis and small aircraft — while ensuring safety.

Key Facts

1. When:Friday, October 9, 2026, as reported by state-run Xinhua.
2. Core requirement:build technology-monitoring, risk-warning and emergency-response systems to ensure AI is safe, reliable and controllable.
3. Accountability:strict accountability for those responsible for major losses caused by "blind" investment in "new productive forces."
4. Scope:AI plus a range of other frontier technologies; the low-altitude economy (civilian drones, air taxis, small aircraft) is named a key growth area.