China and US push Southeast Asia over AI blocs, testing region’s non-alignment

Southeast Asian nations, long committed to neutrality in the US-China rivalry, face a new test as both superpowers vie for influence in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. Washington seeks to integrate the region into its "Pax Silica" initiative, aiming to establish a supply chain for AI technology free from Chinese involvement. Conversely, Beijing is actively promoting its World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico), positioning it as an inclusive platform for developing economies.

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Southeast Asian leaders have long insisted they will not be forced to pick sides in the great-power rivalry between the US and China. But their posture is about to be further tested.

Sources indicate that both the US and China have intensified their lobbying efforts in recent months, urging Southeast Asian economies to align with their respective AI frameworks. Chinese officials reportedly offered "exclusive privileges" to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries to encourage their early adoption of Waico. This initiative, launched in Shanghai with 29 founding members, primarily from the Global South, saw five Southeast Asian nations, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and Myanmar, sign on as founding members.

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Beijing pitching its AI organisation as an inclusive body that championed developing economies, in contrast to what it described as an exclusionary American initiative.

The geopolitical maneuvering highlights the strategic importance of AI and the region's pivotal role in global technology supply chains. As both powers escalate their efforts, Southeast Asian leaders must navigate this complex landscape, balancing their non-alignment principles with the potential benefits and pressures associated with joining either bloc.

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Waico, which brands itself as advancing “AI for good and for all”, was established in Shanghai at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in July with an initial 29 members, mainly from the Global South, in a launch elevated by the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping.