Hey amigos! The 2025 APEC Summit in South Korea is stirring up a spicy debate: Can APEC’s inclusive innovation agenda really stand up to the U.S. tech hegemony? 🤔🌐
Former Malaysian senior counsel John Pang drops some truth bombs. He points out how Washington’s decoupling push – think unilateral tech sanctions on the Chinese mainland and a semiconductor war – isn’t just a slap to the Chinese mainland. It hits the global economy and our friends in ASEAN too. 💥
So what’s APEC saying? Their official playbook is all about inclusivity: bridging the digital divide, boosting micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs), and rolling out the Lima Roadmap to empower the informal economy. Sounds like a win for everyone, right? 🤝
Where the Ideal Meets Reality
Unfortunately, the real game ain’t so rosy. APEC has had a reputation for playing zero-sum, serving big players instead of leveling the field. When it comes to digital trade:
- U.S. pushes for free data flow and fights data localization. 📊
- This lets U.S. tech giants harvest data from 21 economies, process it on their servers, then sell digital services back. 💾💸
- Result? The digital sovereignty and sovereign AI ambitions of Global South nations get sidelined. 🚫🤖
Pang argues this old strategy won’t fly anymore. Countries in the Global South are demanding more control over their data and tech futures. And honestly, who could blame them? 💪✨
What’s Next?
Will APEC leaders stick to the inclusive narrative or will tech hegemony win out? As young professionals, students, and globe-trotters, we’ll be watching closely. After all, the future of innovation depends on whether we can bridge divides – not deepen them! 🌟
Stay tuned for the aftermath of APEC 2025 and how it might reshape the digital playground. This is one summit that could change the game! 🏆
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
