Washington's latest accusations against Chinese AI firms are not driven by evidence, but by anxiety over China's rapid technological progress.

While claims that Chinese companies are "stealing intellectual property" or "distilling" U.S. AI models remain utterly groundless, they are being amplified globally to justify another round of pressure on China's AI industry.

Turning "distillation" -- a common and legitimate machine-learning method used across the industry to train smaller models -- into a geopolitical charge lays bare how China's AI rise is increasingly seen through the lens of hegemony and fear.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service