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Why Asia Won't Reject Russia's Hydrocarbons or China's Rare Earths Despite US Pressure_我的网站

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    Conceptual diagram of AI Photo: VCG
In a report released on Tuesday, the World Bank made an optimistic assessment that artificial intelligence (AI) could allow developing countries to do in a decade what might otherwise take a century. The report found that AI will throw developing economies a lifeline, and that the technology's greatest promise for developing countries lies not in replacing workers, but in amplifying what they can do.
While advanced economies are still debating whether AI will wipe out white-collar jobs, this report serves as a critical reminder that AI is not merely a force that replaces human labor. More importantly, it acts as an amplifier that unlocks growth potential.
For years, many assumed that AI penetration would primarily erode low- and mid-skilled jobs and widen development gaps among economies. Yet for most developing countries still undergoing digital transformation, AI represents far more than a choice between automation and human labor. It provides a cost-effective shortcut to remedy decades of digital infrastructure shortcomings. 
Many digital capabilities that once required massive capital investment, systematic infrastructure development and professional talent training can now be realized through open-weight AI tools. This dramatic reduction in technological barriers offers developing countries a rare chance to leapfrog stages of technological iteration and catch up with global development trends.
In China, this "amplification effect" is unfolding in various ways. Over the past few years, new professions built around human-AI collaboration have kept emerging, while the skill sets required for traditional jobs are evolving at a rapid pace. 
What matters even more is that China's unique AI development path carries special reference value for other developing countries. China has already integrated AI on a massive scale into core real-life scenarios spanning manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare and education, while continuously driving down the cost of access. 
According to CNBC, Chinese built AI models are gaining ground, and they are gaining traction as they narrow the performance gap with leading American rivals while remaining significantly cheaper to use. This model provides the most practical, accessible entry point for developing economies stepping into the AI era, rather than forcing them to chase unattainable, high-end technical standards that are out of their financial and operational reach.
With the rise of Chinese open-source and open-weight models, AI competition between China and the US has become a hot topic in the global technology landscape. Some in the West often frame this as a technological power tussle between two major countries, measured by model parameters, financing scale and semiconductor manufacturing precision. While such indicators reflect technological advancement, one shouldn't overlook the far more fundamental purpose of technology. The ultimate value of any technology lies in its ability to address shared global challenges and deliver tangible public benefits.
Many developing regions are still in the very early stages of digital transformation. Truly meaningful, impactful AI capability is never cutting-edge technology locked away in a laboratory. It is technology that can step out of the lab, root itself in local realities, and deliver inclusive, accessible solutions that help these countries cross the threshold of digital infrastructure at minimal cost. It is about bringing open-weight, user-friendly AI tools into the hands of ordinary people and companies.
When more developing economies are able to use AI as a lever to bridge their long-standing development gaps, the global digital divide will not be further widened by this new round of technological revolution. Instead, it will be gradually narrowed for the first time in decades. From this perspective, the outcome of global AI competition will not be determined by which country first reaches the ceiling of technological sophistication. The real decisive factor is which country can extend technological benefits to the broadest population groups and leverage AI to drive inclusive global growth.
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B |     "Given that energy is the lifeline of modern economies, modern economic growth patterns, there are not that many alternatives available and there are only a few countries that are players in the global energy market. Russia certainly cannot be counted out and Russia cannot be marginalized in the global energy landscape," says Harsh V. Pant, professor of international relations at the King's College London India Institute and director of the strategic studies program at the Observer Research Foundation.,International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol and US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on 12 July urged Indo-Pacific countries at the Sydney Energy Forum to diversify their supply chains for energy and critical minerals to reduce "dependency" on Russia over its special operation in Ukraine, as well as on China.,"At a time when the energy prices are going up and affecting some of the poorest and most vulnerable countries around the world very significantly, I think Asian countries will continue to cooperate with Russia in order to support their economies and their domestic requirements," says Pant.,He explains that dealing with Russia has become an economic imperative at a time of energy crunch given that Moscow is offering discounted oil to a number of countries. Furthermore, maintaining economic relations with Russia is a question of survival and the people's well-being for some Asian nations and countries of the Global South, according to the professor. Under these circumstances it's highly unlikely that they will succumb to the pressure from Washington and sever ties with Russia, he says.,"For political leaders across the world, at a time when economies are just beginning to grow after the long COVID pandemic, they can [not] afford a lack of energy and higher energy prices," Pant stresses.,Russia, Venezuela to Expand Oil Sector Cooperation, Working on Pact to Circumvent Western Sanctions4 July, 11:15 GMT,Anti-Russia Sanctions: India and EU Approaches,To illustrate his point, the professor cites India's approach to Russia's affairs and the Ukraine crisis. New Delhi continues to import energy from Russia despite the US and Europe urging India to join sweeping anti-Russia sanctions.,"What we have seen in the last two months is a gradual, significant increase in what India is buying from Russia when it comes to oil," the professor says. "This is particularly relevant again because Russia has offered India discounted oil and India's economic requirements demand that India continues buying this oil. The challenges facing India's population mean that the Indian leadership has an incentive in continuing to engage with Russia on this question.",At the same time, the European Union's decision to slap sanctions on Russia and slash energy supplies from the country have backfired on Europe's economy, sending fuel prices up and accelerating inflation.,"We have seen how Europe is struggling to reduce its dependence and the kind of costs that it is imposing on Europeans," says Pant. "Most Asian countries would be reluctant to go down that route.",Brussels: Anti-Russia Sanctions Raise Questions About Sustainability of EU's Financial Model 10 June, 08:44 GMT,The disruptions in the supply of crude after the imposition of ban on imports from Russia have given a dramatic boost to energy prices and inflation, echoes Suranjali Tandon, assistant professor at the Delhi-based National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.,"The current inflationary trends are the most serious challenge for policy makers," she says. "Central banks around the world have begun the process of unwinding loose monetary policy… The current inflation rates have led to internal economic strains and as seen in Sri Lanka, a political upheaval. The cooperation between Russia and Asian countries may be economically prudent.",Moreover, major Asian economies – India and China – are ready to absorb crude supplies from Russia rejected by the West, according to her.,At the same time, Washington's plan to force Asian states to join anti-Russia sanctions is fraught with severe risks for the global economy, Tandon warns.,"The ban, if carried out by other Asian economies, will further cut off supplies of refined petroleum and related products," she says. "This could lead to an unmanageable inflationary spiral while depressing global growth.",Lithium, Gold & Rare Earths: How China May Open the Door to New Business Opportunities for Afghans19 August 2021, 08:38 GMT,Are There Alternatives to Russia & China?,According to Tandon, India sets an important precedent for other Asian states by withstanding the US pressure when it comes to energy sanctions against Russia. By doing this, India is defending its internal interests in the first place, the professor underscores.,She hails the idea that single technology or fuel dependence should be avoided. This principle could be applied to Russia, China, or Western countries in a similar way. However, when the West is calling upon Asian nations to shift to wind, solar, and even nuclear power and abandon fossil fuels, it's clear that this shift cannot be done immediately, the professor emphasizes.,Even after the "green" transition, Asian states and the Global South are likely to maintain ties with Russia and China, who have been developing cutting-edge nuclear technologies and mining rare earths needed for producing electric batteries and electronic components.,"Russia's energy supplies will remain globally important," Tandon forecasts. "More importantly, even when this transition does take place the natural resources including minerals used as inputs in renewables will be concentrated in countries like China. China produces 63% of the world’s rare earth elements, including 45% of molybdenum as per IEA, so it's unclear what countries must do to expand alternatives while being under pressure to transition quickly."。

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