US Pushes Fisheries Tech At APEC Amid China Rivalry
US Pushes Fisheries Tech At APEC Amid China Rivalry
https://www.marinelink.com/news/us-pushes-fisheries-tech-apec-amid-china-535753
Publish Date: 2026-02-15 16:06:00
Source Domain: www.marinelink.com
- The Trump administration is actively promoting the export of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and maritime surveillance technology during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in southern China, aiming to counterbalance Beijing’s technological and maritime influence.
- The U.S. has introduced a $20 million fund to support the adoption of American AI technologies by partner economies in the region as part of efforts to strengthen U.S. dominance in emerging technologies.
- Ahead of President Trump’s expected visit to China in April and China hosting APEC’s annual leaders’ summit in Shenzhen in November, the initiatives highlight increasing U.S.-China competition over technology and economic influence in the Asia-Pacific.
- China is striving to close the technology gap with the U.S. particularly in AI-related sectors, though it faces challenges due to a lack of advanced chipmaking tools.
- The United States is also focusing on the issue of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing during APEC discussions, employing private-sector technologies such as satellite tracking to combat this and ensure food security and maritime sovereignty in the Pacific.
- Ruth Perry highlighted the enforcement challenges posed by China’s large distant-water fishing fleet and the development of U.S. technologies, including AI-based analytics and sensor-equipped buoys, for monitoring fishing activities.
- There is growing concern regarding the links between illegal fishing and other transnational crimes like forced labor, trafficking, and smuggling.
- The U.S. is monitoring China’s new Fisheries Law, effective from May, to see if it will follow through with promises to curb illegal fishing activities.
