The Philippines, sovereignty and the Pax Silica Industrial Hub – how Helberg sees it

Senior US official tackles suggestions that Manila’s jurisdiction could be eroded by a joint supply chain project

The struggle between the US and China over who will lead in

artificial intelligence

is one of the defining competitions of our time. In the third part of

our exclusive interview

with a key player defining Washington’s policy on AI,

Jacob Helberg, US undersecretary of state for economic affairs, gives a commitment to the Philippines on the Pax Silica Initiative.

The venture is the flagship project in a US-led coalition seeking to build China-free AI supply chains spanning critical minerals, semiconductors and logistics.

“It will bring quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness, and revitalise our economy.”

The promise is to establish an advanced manufacturing and logistics centre in the global AI and technology value chain.

But critics warn that the project could erode Philippine sovereignty, displace farming communities, and cause environmental harm.