US AI Supply Chain Strategy Doomed to Fail, Hong Kong Academic Warns
SCMP · 1 SOURCES43 minutes ago2 MIN
Summary
A prominent political scientist has warned that US initiatives to secure artificial intelligence supply chains are destined to fail. Zheng Yongnian, dean of the School of Public Policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, told a conference on Sunday that American frameworks explicitly targeting China would backfire. He argued that Washington should instead collaborate with Beijing on driving global economic development rather than pursuing technological decoupling.
Key Points
- Zheng Yongnian, a leading Chinese political scientist, has condemned US AI strategy as doomed to fail .
- US frameworks including Pax Silica, the chip alliance, and rare earth alliance explicitly target a third party and are bound to fail .
- A State Department draft document warns that Pax Silica members could be excluded if they join the Chinese-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation .
- The White House is considering adding several Chinese AI labs to a blacklist that would restrict their access to US technology .
- A ban on foreign open-source AI models could cost American businesses up to US$12 billion annually, according to researcher estimates .
Why It Matters
The escalating US-China AI rivalry has profound implications for global technology governance and supply chain resilience . Zheng's warnings highlight the commercial reality that cost-competitive Chinese AI models are rapidly expanding worldwide, challenging American firms like OpenAI and Anthropic that are pushing high-cost alternatives . For Hong Kong, positioned between the two superpowers, this technological decoupling could reshape its role as a financial and innovation hub, with implications for businesses and professionals navigating competing regulatory frameworks.
The escalating US-China AI rivalry has profound implications for global technology governance and supply chain resilience . Zheng's warnings highlight the commercial reality that cost-competitive Chinese AI models are rapidly expanding worldwide, challenging American firms like OpenAI and Anthropic that are pushing high-cost alternatives . For Hong Kong, positioned between the two superpowers, this technological decoupling could reshape its role as a financial and innovation hub, with implications for businesses and professionals navigating competing regulatory frameworks.