UK and US should cooperate on AI to counter China ‘threat’, says Mandelson

The UK and US must cooperate on new technologies such as artificial intelligence to counter the “clear shared threat” from China, Lord Peter Mandelson has said.

The British ambassador to the US used a speech in Washington on Tuesday to warn that China posed a more serious threat than the Soviet Union and urge the UK and US to use this month’s trade deal as a springboard for even closer cooperation.

Speaking to the Atlantic Council, he said: “We face a clear shared threat.

“There is nothing in this world I fear more than China winning the race for technological dominance in the coming decades.

“China represents a far more dynamic and formidable strategic rival than the Soviet Union ever was – economically sophisticated, highly innovative and strategically patient.”

Labour has attempted to thaw relations with Beijing since coming to power, with ministers including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy visiting the country after a period of disengagement under the Conservatives – although the Government insists it will challenge China where necessary.

But US President Donald Trump has been consistently hostile, applying much higher tariffs to Chinese goods than those from any other country.

Arguing that the UK and US should “combine forces” to “drive the scientific breakthroughs that will define this century”, Lord Mandelson said AI should be “the spearpoint” of British-American collaboration.

He added: “Rather than stifling these transformative technologies through excessive regulation, our two governments must unleash their immense potential for human benefit and Western advantage.”

Lord Mandelson’s comments follow the announcement of a trade deal between London and Washington earlier in May that saw the US cut tariffs on British steel and cars, while keeping the 10% levy on imports in general.

At the time, the Government said the agreement opened a path to “a future UK-US technology partnership”, as well as a digital trade deal subject to further negotiation.

Lord Mandelson suggested that the 10% tariff rate was unlikely to come down, noting Mr Trump appeared “quite wedded” to the figure as a baseline.

But he added that the two countries could look “within that baseline” to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers “where it is in our mutual advantage”.