The United States is preparing to send formal letters to the 35 signatories of its AI Opportunity Statement, telling allied nations they must choose between US-led artificial intelligence cooperation and reliance on Chinese technology systems.
The draft letter, prepared by the State Department and first reported by The Sun, targets countries that have signed onto the Pax Silica framework or expressed interest in aligning their AI policies with Washington. It represents the most direct ultimatum yet in the escalating technology competition between the US and China, according to the Japan Times.
Pax Silica Grows teeth
Pax Silica, launched in December 2025 as a nine-nation strategic partnership including the US, South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK, has rapidly expanded. By August 2026, 35 nations had signed the AI Opportunity Statement, and the State Department issued a NOFO for an AI Assistance Project on August 12. The initiative aims to secure supply chains for AI models, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
The new letters would transform Pax Silica from a cooperative framework into something closer to an exclusionary bloc. Signatories would face pressure to adopt US export controls on advanced chips, limit procurement of Chinese AI models, and share intelligence on Chinese technology penetration.
Chinese open-weight models narrow the gap
The urgency behind Washington’s move reflects rapid gains by Chinese open-weight AI models, which have narrowed the performance gap with proprietary systems from OpenAI and Anthropic. Beijing is simultaneously weighing restrictions on overseas access to some of its leading AI models, adding complexity to the competitive landscape.
The exponential growth in AI capabilities, including autonomous cyber-offensive abilities, has forced governments worldwide to reconsider their technology partnerships. For many countries in the Global South, the choice between US and Chinese AI ecosystems carries significant economic and strategic implications.
Geopolitical stakes rise
The move signals a hardening of technology export controls that were previously applied primarily to specific companies like Huawei. By asking allied nations to commit to a technology阵营, Washington risks fracturing the global internet and creating parallel AI ecosystems with incompatible standards.
Analysts note that several Pax Silica signatories, including India and several Southeast Asian nations, maintain significant trade relationships with China. The letters could force difficult diplomatic choices, particularly for countries that have sought to maintain strategic autonomy between the two technology superpowers.
Sources: The Sun; Japan Times; US Department of State; Nikkei Asia
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