The United States is preparing to call on a number of countries to pick a side in its competition with China over artificial intelligence (AI). That is according to an internal draft letter from the Trump administration obtained by Reuters, along with a US official. The draft warns countries that if they join a Beijing-led AI initiative, they risk being excluded from the US-led coalition.
Amid its technological rivalry with Beijing, Washington launched an initiative called “Pax Silica” last year, aimed at securing supply chains for AI models, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
Roughly 24 countries, including Kazakhstan, have joined the initiative. Kazakhstan is a major source of critical minerals and has also joined the China-led initiative. Close US allies Japan, Australia, and South Korea are also members of Pax Silica.
The draft letter, prepared by the US State Department, was written last June to the 35 countries that signed a joint declaration called the US AI Opportunity Statement. Those countries include both Pax Silica members and countries interested in working with the United States on AI.
By pressuring countries to pick a side, the United States wants to deny China the resources it needs in the race to build cutting-edge AI. Washington believes the technology could play a critical role in extending military and economic dominance.
In July, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of a rival body called the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). China is expanding its own technology and cooperation framework to counter US influence in this fast-changing sector.
So far, Kazakhstan is the only country to have joined both the US and Chinese initiatives, a fact that has become a source of concern for Washington.
The US draft letter calls on countries to “thoughtfully choose a side” on AI. It states: “Being part of everything means being part of nothing. Signing the Pax Silica declaration is not merely membership, it is a commitment.”
Without naming China directly, the letter states that this commitment cannot be honored while remaining part of any parallel alliance that conflicts with US objectives.
Reuters could not confirm exactly when the United States plans to send the letter, or whether any changes will be made to it before it is sent. The draft carries no date.
The US State Department declined to comment on the matter. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, meanwhile, said it opposes politicizing trade and technology issues. An embassy spokesperson said: “Such measures will hinder AI progress worldwide and serve no one’s interests.” Kazakhstan’s embassy also declined to comment.
‘You can’t keep a foot in both boats’
The Pax Silica agreement aims to bring joint projects and export controls involving US allies and partners under one framework. Its ultimate goal is to reduce dependence on rivals for critical minerals, AI models, and semiconductor chips.
The US-China struggle for technological leadership has now reached a critical stage. In contrast to proprietary systems owned by US companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, China’s “open-weight” AI models are advancing rapidly. An open-weight AI model refers to technology whose trained parameters, or “weights,” are made openly available to users, allowing them to download and use or modify the model for their own purposes.
As AI’s capabilities grow, including its capacity for automated hacking, a fresh worldwide reckoning with the technology’s power and risks has begun. Beijing, meanwhile, is considering restricting foreign access to some of its leading AI models, reflecting China’s own strict national security policies.
The United States viewed it positively when Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian country to join Pax Silica last June. The country holds vast reserves of the minerals needed for advanced technology.
In response to the tariff war launched by US President Donald Trump, China has used its dominance over mineral resources as a lever. In response, the United States has stepped up efforts to secure these minerals domestically and from its allies.
According to the US State Department’s website, Pax Silica members get the opportunity for joint investment in AI-related projects, while countries that signed the AI Opportunity Statement have symbolically agreed with the United States on “shared goals” and a “vision for the future.”
Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, a US official said the letter was drafted to make clear to countries that “you can’t be on both sides at once.”
The official added: “It’s hard to understand how a country can claim to be a reliable partner in our ecosystem while simultaneously joining a China-led AI alliance.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report