Chinese Tech Now Runs Taliban’s Info War, Japan’s EV Push, and the Global AI Power Grab
Chinese technology is reshaping global industries from Afghanistan to Japan, with new developments showing Beijing’s growing grip on everything from digital censorship to electric vehicle supply chains and cloud computing dominance.
In Afghanistan, former intelligence chief Masoud Andarabi warned that the Taliban is turning to Chinese algorithms to control what Afghans see online. “Afghans will see the world through Chinese algorithms,” Andarabi said, highlighting a shift from military force to information control [195920]. The partnership could give Beijing influence over digital censorship tools that filter news and social media for millions of Afghans.
Meanwhile, Japan’s auto giants Honda and Toyota are now buying Chinese electric vehicle technology to survive the EV race. The Japanese firms are sourcing batteries, electric motors, and complete vehicle architectures from Chinese suppliers like BYD and CATL, marking a major reversal for an industry that once dominated global auto manufacturing [195851]. Analysts say the move is a pragmatic response to Chinese leadership in EV innovation, despite risks of weakening Japan’s own supply chain.
A proposed U.S. law, the Remote Access Security Act (RASA), threatens to accelerate this shift. The bill aims to restrict remote access to American cloud services, but experts warn it could push global customers toward Chinese providers instead, handing Beijing a strategic advantage in artificial intelligence and cloud computing [195921].
Adding to the pressure, China’s Nexchip is expanding globally to dominate the booming market for older “legacy chips” used in cars, refrigerators, and industrial robots. While the world focuses on cutting-edge AI processors, demand for these simpler semiconductors is surging, and Nexchip aims to fill the gap left by Western giants [193752].
The AI race itself is now a fight over electricity. As AI models become standardized products, the main cost of services will be power. This turns the U.S.-China AI competition into a contest over electricity supply and price, with open-source Chinese models appearing rapidly [192365].
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