The tech rivalry between China and the United States is fast becoming a key variable in the trajectory of relations. It not only reflects divergent innovation paths but fundamentally reshapes the global technological order.

Yes, they can. As the world’s two major powers in AI technology, the U.S. and China must work together to build capacity, contribute to AI for developing countries, bridge the digital divide and help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

China’s recent successes in tech and entertainment have proven to the world that its creativity and innovation can keep pace with the Western-dominated zeitgeist. How might this translate into China’s relations with states across the globe?

The rapidly growing AI industry was rocked last month with the launch of DeepSeek, an open-source, Chinese-developed competitor to OpenAI’s products. The introduction of a valid competitor to American dominance in AI will lead to many questions in 2025 on how the U.S. will respond.

The Paris AI Action Summit was held on February 10 and 11. AI experts, policymakers and industry leaders from various countries gathered to engage in in-depth discussions about opportunities and challenges in AI development and governance. Chinese scholars led by former Chinese vice-foreign minister Fu Ying attended the Paris AI Summit. Below are the main points in Fu Ying’s Remarks on AI Safety and Governance at the Paris AI Summit.

The rapid rise of DeepSeek sends a clear message to the world: Tech suppression may bring short-term gains, but the resulting frictions will be counterproductive. DeepSeek’s innovations offer a fresh perspective on the future of U.S.-China economic relations by demonstrating that China can stand on its own.

Donald Trump is likely to seek a fresh start when he returns to the White House, creating an opportunity to build a healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship. The world is big enough for the two major powers to grow and prosper together and avoid veering into a vicious tech rivalry — or even a new cold war.

The incoming administration in the United States is expected to intensify export controls on China and strengthen measures to block overseas markets for Chinese technology products. However, Donald Trump’s new team, steered by his pragmatic approach, may ease the pressure in some sectors.

To a large degree, the new agglomeration is the result of Washington’s “great power competition” strategy. While it looks a bit like the military-industrial complex of the Cold War era, it is truly a different entity, but it’s one whose long-term impact on China-U.S. ties must be understood.

Daniel Russel is vice-president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute. He previously served as special assistant to U.S. President Barack Obama and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the U.S. State Department from 2013 to 2017. He was a major figure in the Obama administration's "pivot towards Asia" strategy. In a recent interview with James Chau of China-US Focus in Tokyo, Daniel Russel shares his concerns on U.S.-China rivalry in new technologies and its impact on bilateral relations and the globe as well.