Technology · Singapore Bureau
China calls for respect of digital sovereignty amid US AI competition
Beijing has pushed back against reported US efforts to pressure nations to align with Washington in the artificial intelligence race, insisting countries should retain control over their digital policies.
LSN Singapore ·
China on Wednesday reiterated its position that nations should respect each other's digital sovereignty, following reports that the United States plans to encourage countries to take sides in the intensifying competition over artificial intelligence development.
The statement from Beijing underscores growing tensions between the world's two largest economies over AI leadership and influence. The US approach, if implemented, would seek commitments from allied and partner nations to adopt policies favouring American technology companies and standards over Chinese alternatives.
China's assertion of digital sovereignty reflects broader concerns across Asia and beyond about being forced into geopolitical blocs regarding technology governance. The principle of digital sovereignty—a nation's right to set its own digital policies without external pressure—has become increasingly important to countries seeking to maintain strategic autonomy in technology matters.
The dispute highlights how artificial intelligence has become a focal point for great-power competition, alongside semiconductors and other critical technologies. Both Washington and Beijing are competing aggressively to set global standards and secure influence over how AI systems are developed, deployed and regulated across the world.