Singapore considering invitation to join China-led AI bloc

Singapore is contemplating an invitation to participate in a China-led artificial intelligence (AI) bloc, amid an escalating competition between the United States and China to shape the global AI landscape. China's World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) serves as a forum for countries to collaborate on AI development and governance, serving as a counterpart to the US-led Pax Silica initiative, which focuses on securing AI supply chains.

Singapore, which joined Pax Silica in December 2025, is evaluating the WAICO invitation alongside its other international engagements in AI cooperation. Minster for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo stated that Singapore will assess the WAICO invitation alongside its broader engagements with China and other AI initiatives.

Both WAICO and Pax Silica involve various ASEAN nations, with Pax Silica including the Philippines as a participating country. The US-led initiative currently has 24 members, including Australia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, and Britain. WAICO, headquartered in Shanghai, comprises 29 founding members, including ASEAN countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

Singapore's decision to join any of these initiatives depends on its objectives, areas of shared interest, complementarity with existing engagements, and overall strategic interests, according to Teo. The minister's comments come as the United States and China increasingly form international coalitions to promote their respective AI frameworks.

In January, Singapore announced its participation in Pax Silica, aligning with its approach of collaborating with international partners when mutually beneficial, particularly in advanced manufacturing and AI infrastructure. WAICO aims to coordinate AI development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards, while assisting developing countries, especially those in the Global South, in building their AI capabilities.

China has reportedly lobbied ASEAN countries to support its AI framework, offering exclusive privileges. The US has reportedly warned that countries participating in WAICO would be excluded from Pax Silica. Singapore engages with various countries through multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral platforms, such as the Cyber Dialogue with the US and the AI for Good Global Commission initiated by the International Telecommunications Union.