US Prepares to Demand Partners Choose Between AI Coalitions

The United States State Department has drafted a letter urging 35 countries to choose between a US led artificial intelligence initiative and a competing framework from China. According to an internal draft reviewed by Reuters, the US warns that countries participating in conflicting initiatives may be excluded from the American coalition. The US initiative, known as Pax Silica, was launched in 2025 to secure supply chains for semiconductors, AI models, and critical minerals. By June 2026, 24 nations including Japan, Australia, and South Korea had signed the declaration. In July, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a rival World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization to promote Chinese models as an alternative to US technology. Washington aims to limit China's access to the raw materials and technologies necessary for advanced AI to maintain military and economic advantages. Kazakhstan is identified as the only country to have joined both initiatives, which has caused concern in Washington due to the nation's significant reserves of critical minerals. The draft letter states that membership in Pax Silica is a commitment that cannot be held alongside membership in duplicative initiatives with conflicting expectations, although it does not explicitly name China. The State Department declined to comment on the leaked documents, and the letter remains undated and unsent. Both the Chinese and Kazakh embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.