Kazakhstan's dual AI memberships draw US scrutiny amid US-China race

September 13, 2026 at 06:43 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan is the only country to have joined both the US-led Pax Silica and China's WAICO AI initiatives, drawing scrutiny from Washington. The US is preparing to tell countries they must choose between the competing frameworks, according to a draft State Department letter. China has rejected the idea that countries should be forced to pick a side.

Key Facts

Kazakhstan is the only country to have joined both the US-led Pax Silica and China's World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO).
Pax Silica, launched by Washington in December 2025, has 25 signatories including the European Union, Japan, and Singapore.
WAICO was established in Shanghai on July 16 with 29 signatory countries, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Brazil.
Kazakhstan signed the Pax Silica declaration on June 25, becoming the first Central Asian country to join the initiative.
A draft US State Department letter warned that countries joining China's rival framework could be excluded from the US-led coalition.

US-China AI Competition

The United States and China each have initiatives racing to shape the future of artificial intelligence. Washington's Pax Silica focuses on securing supply chains for critical minerals, semiconductors, energy, data centers, and computing infrastructure needed for the AI economy. China's WAICO aims to promote international cooperation on AI governance, standards, and development and to reduce the technological gap between countries. Reuters reported last month that the US government was preparing to tell dozens of countries they must choose between competing AI initiatives.

Kazakhstan's Balancing Act

Kazakhstan's longstanding multivector foreign policy is coming under new pressure as Washington and Beijing compete for technological influence. The unusual position has drawn scrutiny from Washington as the United States seeks to limit China's influence over AI technology and its supply chains. A draft State Department letter reviewed by Reuters warned that countries joining China's rival framework could be excluded from the US-led coalition. The draft letter said, 'To be part of everything is to be part of nothing,' describing participation in Pax Silica as a commitment rather than simply a membership.

International Reactions

China's embassy in Washington called on the United States to stop encouraging countries to pick just one initiative and to avoid politicizing trade and technology issues. The draft letter had not been sent at the time of the report, and there was no indication that Washington had formally demanded that Kazakhstan withdraw from either initiative. The message underscored the growing difficulty for countries such as Kazakhstan looking to maintain economic and technological ties with both powers.