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Technological Geopolitics
The Trump administration is preparing a formal communication to urge countries that signed the "Pax Silica" initiative to abandon any collaboration with the artificial intelligence framework promoted by Beijing, increasing pressure on strategic allies such as the European Union.
The Administration of Estados Unidos It is preparing to communicate to dozens of allied countries the need to take sides in the technological struggle over artificial intelligence (AI) with ChinaAccording to an internal draft of Departamento de Estado which the agency has had access to Reuters, Washington It will warn its partners that they will be excluded from the AI coalition it leads if they maintain ties with the rival framework driven by Pekín.
The directive is part of the "Pax Silica" initiative, launched by Washington in 2025 with the goal of securing supply chains for AI models, semiconductors, and critical minerals. The measure seeks to put pressure on 35 signatories from the June “AI Opportunities Declaration,” which includes members of “Pax Silica” and other countries aligned with EEUUThe ultimate goal is to limit access to China to the resources needed to develop the most sophisticated AI, capable of being used to gain a military or economic advantage.
The trigger for this new phase of pressure has been the addition of KazajistánA key player due to its reserves of critical minerals, China is involved in both the US and Chinese initiatives. In July, the Chinese president... Xi Jinping launched the Organización Mundial para la Cooperación en Inteligencia Artificialpromoting its open-source technology as an alternative to the influence of EEUU"To be part of everything is to be part of nothing. Signing the 'Pax Silica' declaration is not a mere subscription, but a commitment," states the draft of the US letter, which urges countries to "choose deliberately."
The crossroads for Europe and the Spanish business sector
This requirement of Washington This puts key partners like the Unión Europea and, by extension, to EspañaThe directive clashes head-on with the doctrine of "strategic autonomy" that Bruselas Spain has tried to maintain a balance between its two largest trading partners. The obligation to choose a technological ecosystem could have direct repercussions for Spanish companies, especially in the high-tech, automotive, and industrial sectors, which depend on global supply chains.
For Spanish businesses, the fragmentation of AI standards and value chains would pose a strategic challenge. Spanish technology companies that collaborate with or use open-source AI models originating in China could face barriers to accessing the US market or investment projects linked to Pax Silica. Similarly, exports of products incorporating technological components could be subject to greater scrutiny, forcing companies to certify the origin of their software and hardware, with the consequent increase in costs and logistical complexity.
The "Pax Silica" agreement seeks to consolidate a bloc of allies, which already includes Japón, Australia y Corea del Surto promote joint projects and export controls, ultimately reducing dependence on adversaries for critical minerals and semiconductors. The tension comes at a time when Chinese open-source AI models have shown rapid progress against proprietary systems from US firms such as OpenAI o Anthropic, and in the midst of a tariff war reignited by the president Donald Trump In 2025, the exponential growth of technology and its capabilities has forced a global readjustment regarding its control and power.
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