The Trump administration is promoting artificial intelligence exports and maritime surveillance technologies at this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in southern China, aiming to counter Beijing’s growing technological and maritime influence.
Casey Mace, the U.S. senior official to APEC, said Washington has launched a $20 million fund to support the adoption of American AI technologies by partner economies in the region. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen U.S. leadership in emerging technologies.
The push comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s expected visit to China in April and the APEC leaders’ summit in Shenzhen this November, where competition over AI and economic influence is likely to be highlighted. Chinese efforts to narrow the technological gap are being hampered by limited access to advanced chipmaking tools, according to U.S. officials.
A State Department spokesperson said, “China’s AI technology promotes CCP propaganda and censorship, while its vision for AI governance seeks to enable authoritarian repression.” Beijing, in contrast, maintains it supports global AI governance and rejects accusations that its technology exports enable censorship.
The U.S. is also promoting technologies designed to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which threaten food security and maritime sovereignty in parts of the Pacific. Ruth Perry, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, noted the enforcement challenges posed by China’s 18-million-strong distant-water fleet and emphasised the link between illegal fishing and transnational crimes such as forced labour, trafficking, and smuggling.
U.S. companies are developing satellite vessel tracking systems, AI-powered analytics, acoustic detection tools, and sensor-equipped ocean buoys to help governments monitor maritime activity. Perry added that China’s revised Fisheries Law, set to take effect in May, will be closely watched to assess the country’s commitment to enforcing regulations.