Southeast Asian leaders have long maintained that they will not be forced to choose sides in the intense geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China. However, this stance is set to undergo a critical examination. The new battleground is artificial intelligence. While Washington seeks to integrate the region into Pax Silica – its strategic initiative to construct a China-free artificial intelligence supply chain – Beijing is urging its neighbors to join China’s own World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico).
According to sources, both global powers have recently escalated their pressure on Southeast Asian economies, with each attempting to draw them into their respective AI frameworks.
One source disclosed that Chinese officials had actively lobbied the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries to endorse Waico prior to its launch last month, highlighting potential benefits of signing on as founding members, including an offer of “exclusive privileges”.
WATCH: Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at world AI conference
A second source noted that the lobbying efforts extended to senior government levels, with Beijing presenting its AI organization as an inclusive champion for developing economies, contrasting it with what it characterized as an exclusionary American initiative.
