The United States has formally launched the Pax Silica initiative, a new multinational framework designed to strengthen and protect global supply chains underpinning artificial intelligence and other critical technologies.
The initiative brings together eight key partners, namely Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, reflecting a coordinated effort among advanced and strategically aligned economies.
The inaugural Pax Silica summit was convened by the US Department of State and chaired by Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg, signalling strong political backing at the highest levels of Washington’s economic and technology policy leadership.
Pax Silica is intended to address growing concerns around economic security, particularly vulnerabilities exposed in semiconductor production, critical mineral sourcing, advanced manufacturing capacity and energy infrastructure.
Officials involved in the discussions stressed that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence has increased the strategic importance of resilient, transparent and trusted technology supply chains across borders.
The framework seeks to reduce overreliance on single jurisdictions for essential components, while encouraging diversification, redundancy and shared standards among partner countries.
Major global technology and manufacturing firms, including ASML, Sony and Samsung, are represented through participating national delegations, highlighting the initiative’s close engagement with the private sector.
Policymakers involved in Pax Silica emphasised that collaboration with industry is critical to ensuring innovation continues alongside stronger safeguards against geopolitical and logistical risks.
The initiative also aims to promote interoperability and mutual trust among partner nations, fostering technology ecosystems that are aligned with shared values and regulatory principles.
US officials described Pax Silica as a forward-looking response to intensifying global competition in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and next-generation manufacturing technologies.
Participants agreed that securing supply chains is not only an economic priority but also a national security concern, given the increasing integration of AI into defence, communications and critical infrastructure.
The summit concluded with a commitment to ongoing dialogue, working groups and policy coordination to ensure Pax Silica evolves into a durable platform for long-term technological cooperation.