SM Lee on ‘Embracing’ AI as the Chinese, US-China Relations

Why It Matters

Lee’s comments underscore AI as a strategic arena shaping economic competitiveness and US-China tensions; how governments and firms respond will determine whether AI accelerates growth or exacerbates social and geopolitical risks.

Summary

SM Lee urged countries to “embrace” AI while acknowledging the technology’s social and geopolitical challenges, arguing that thoughtful adoption and preparation can avoid a sudden jobs crisis. He said US-China relations have seen sharp short-term fluctuations but a long-term shift as China catches up, creating mutual suspicion: the US increasingly views China as a near-peer competitor while China fears being deliberately held back. Lee called for managing rivalry to prevent open conflict and preserve avenues for essential cooperation, especially on AI where both nations lead. He emphasized that businesses and workers must both scale AI deployment and retrain to capture benefits and mitigate displacement.

Original Description

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrapped up his five-day trip to China on Fri (May 22), stressing the need to ‘embrace’ AI as the Chinese. He spoke on China’s lead in the AI sector, as well as the ongoing US-China rivalry.

Read more: https://bt.sg/tMDM

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