US Pushes Allies to Choose Sides in AI Race Against China
The United States is drawing a clear line in the sand for the future of artificial intelligence. Washington is preparing to tell dozens of countries they must choose between aligning with the US-led Pax Silica coalition or joining China's rival AI framework, according to a US official and an internal draft reviewed by Reuters.
This is not a game of diplomatic dodgeball. The message is blunt: you cannot sit on the fence when the future of technology and national security is at stake.
What is the Pax Silica initiative?
Launched last year, Pax Silica is Washington's strategic answer to Beijing's technological ambitions. The initiative aims to secure supply chains for AI models, semiconductors, and critical minerals, the lifeblood of modern innovation. About two dozen countries have already joined, including close allies like Japan, Australia, and South Korea, as well as Kazakhstan, a key source of critical minerals that has also signed up with China.
The draft letter, prepared by the State Department, is addressed to the 35 signatories of the US AI Opportunity Statement signed in June. The message is clear: commitment to Pax Silica means commitment to a shared vision, not a buffet of options.
To be part of everything is to be part of nothing. Signature of the Pax Silica Declaration is not merely a membership subscription, but a commitment.
Why is the US forcing countries to pick a side?
The stakes could not be higher. The US wants to starve China of the resources needed to build the most sophisticated AI, which could be used for military or economic dominance. In July, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a rival World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, promoting open-weight technology as a direct challenge to US influence.
Kazakhstan is currently the only country known to have joined both initiatives, setting off alarm bells in Washington. The US official behind the letter made it clear: it is difficult to see how a country can credibly position itself as a trusted partner in one technology ecosystem while signing up for an initiative designed by China to advance a competing vision.
China's response and the global AI race
China's embassy in Washington dismissed the move, saying it opposes politicizing trade and technology issues. Such actions, they argue, will only stifle global AI advances. But the reality is that the race between the US and China has reached a pivotal moment. Chinese open-weight AI models have made rapid gains against proprietary systems from US companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Beijing is even weighing restrictions on overseas access to its leading AI models, highlighting the tension between its national security agenda and the global push for innovation.
Critical minerals as a strategic weapon
China has already used its near-monopolies over critical minerals as a retaliatory weapon in the tariff war launched by President Donald Trump. The US has responded by ramping up efforts to source these minerals domestically and from allies. Kazakhstan, with its significant reserves, was touted in June as the first Central Asian country to join Pax Silica, a strategic win for Washington.
Members of Pax Silica gain access to shared investment opportunities in AI-related projects. Those who sign the AI Opportunity Statement symbolically agree on a common purpose and shared vision with the US. The message from Washington is unambiguous: choose deliberately, because you cannot have it both ways.
For Israel and its allies, this is a moment to stand firm with the West. The values of innovation, security, and shared democratic principles are the bedrock of our partnership with the United States. As the Jewish people have always known, you cannot serve two masters. The choice is clear, and the time to make it is now.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pax Silica initiative?
Pax Silica is a US-led initiative launched last year to secure supply chains for AI models, semiconductors, and critical minerals, countering China's technological influence.
Which countries have joined Pax Silica?
About two dozen countries have joined, including Japan, Australia, South Korea, and Kazakhstan, the latter also being a member of China's rival coalition.
Why is the US asking countries to choose sides?
The US wants to prevent China from accessing critical resources and technology needed to develop advanced AI, which could be used for military or economic dominance.
What happens if a country joins both initiatives?
The US has warned that signing up for both is incompatible with the commitment required by Pax Silica, and such countries risk being excluded from the US-led coalition.