Editor's note: Peter T.C. Chang is a visiting senior fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

DeepSeek is yet another indication that early cooperation between the US and China is crucial for securing a better future for humanity.

During the US presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg were given front-row seats, underscoring the prominence of big tech in Trump 2.0. The following day, on January 21, with Sam Altman by his side, Trump unveiled the $500 billion Stargate project, aimed at constructing massive data centers to power the next generation of AI.  

AI is increasingly recognized as a revolutionary technology poised to transform human existence. Washington's calculus is that retaining global dominance in the 21st century requires preserving US leadership in AI, particularly by maintaining a competitive edge over China.

However, the very next day after the Stargate announcement, DeepSeek published a paper unveiling its groundbreaking achievement: the R1 model. This monumental launch sent shockwaves through the global tech industry and challenged the US's perception of its own AI supremacy.

The unexpected development, which Trump described as a "wake-up call," comes at a time when his administration is embroiled in a heated debate over the H-1B visa program. Silicon Valley companies argue that the program is essential for maintaining US's technological edge. Nevertheless, according to Vivek Ramaswamy, America's high-tech reliance on foreign talents stem from a deeper cultural issue. "A society that celebrates the prom queen over the math Olympiad champion, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers," Ramaswamy wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Beijing's education strategy is singularly focused on producing STEM graduates to transform the country into a high-tech powerhouse. After decades of sustained investment, China is now reaping the rewards, with a growing pool of world-class scientists and engineers. A key feature of DeepSeek is that it is entirely powered by homegrown Chinese talent.

At a US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Melanie Hart of the Atlantic Council suggested that the US should consider "poaching" China's top AI talent to keep pace with DeepSeek's rapid advancements. However, given the pervasive anti-China sentiment in the US, it remains unclear whether the current exodus of Chinese scientists will subside – or, if any would feel safe returning.

As anticipated, DeepSeek's remarkable achievement was viewed as a national security risk during the same Senate committee hearing. Despite former US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's assertion that containing China is a fool's errand, the US appears determined to double down on efforts to slow, if not halt, China's progress in AI.

Nonetheless, China remains undeterred. As DeepSeek has demonstrated, US restrictions have not only strengthened Chinese resolve but have also spurred game-changing innovations in AI. Beyond being open-source, DeepSeek is achieving these startling developments at a fraction of the cost of ChatGPT's closed-source system. In fact, DeepSeek is just one of many players – such as ByteDance, iFlytek, and MoonShot – poised to release advanced reasoning models in China.

The rivalry between DeepSeek and ChatGPT represents more than just a competition between two AI models – it is a clash between two fundamentally different governance systems.

The presence of tech billionaires at Trump's inauguration sparked concerns among some about the rise of a "techno-feudal" oligarchy that could disproportionately benefits US tech giants, at the expense of broader societal interests. Indeed, for many, the breakthrough achieved by DeepSeek has exposed the self-interested hype perpetuated by US big-tech, inflating their role in AI development, so as to attract investment and maintain their market dominance.

The optics and message conveyed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang's meeting with DeepSeek's founder Liang Wenfeng in early January stand in stark contrast to the presence of US tech titans at Trump's inauguration. The seating arrangement alone underscores a clear hierarchy, emphasizing the supremacy of the party-state in China's governance structure.

Indeed, the party-state has reined in China's business elites to ensure that the country's development ultimately benefits all. This is "socialism with Chinese characteristics," where progress and technological advancements, such as those achieved by DeepSeek, must serve the people rather than corporate interests.

China's other advancement in technology, such as in electric vehicles and solar panels, are enabling a quicker and more affordable transition to a greener economy, especially for countries in the Global South. Through these innovations, China is laying the groundwork for a "community with a shared future for mankind."

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement and the WHO, undermining global efforts to address crises confronting humankind. However, it is the intense US-China rivalry that poses the greatest challenge to the world.

To be sure, DeepSeek has unleashed the transformative potential of AI, but this remarkable advancement also comes with unknown risks it could pose to humankind. Rather than collaborating to mitigate these dangers, Washington is doubling down on efforts to decouple its AI research from China. The US's zero-sum competition against China to dominate AI is a foolhardy race that risks jeopardizing humanity itself.  

DeepSeek is the latest demonstration that China will not be deterred by any US containment strategy. The sooner Washington acknowledges this reality and embraces China as a partner, the better it will be for America – and for the future of humanity.