It reflects the steady trend of US government and private interests extending a technologically driven form of hegemony, employing communications, data and AI systems to deepen dependence on American networks and weaponize against rivals.China has built a parallel structure of influence through its own technology exports, manufacturing base and integrated supply chains, challenging the American model without the costly global military footprint.
And unlike earlier empires, Washington’s and Beijing’s systems increasingly overlap: Spain, long considered a reliable partner for American tech firms and data security, has faced US pressure after contracting with Chinese company Huawei in July to store judicial wiretap data.
