AI competition: What is behind the AI distillation dispute?

As scrutiny of Chinese AI companies intensifies in Washington, nearly 200 US startups and technology groups are urging the government not to cut off Chinese access to open-weight models, which many smaller companies rely on to build affordable AI products. What is driving the growing debate over possible restrictions on Chinese AI models? From Silicon Valley to D.C., why is the US tech world suddenly obsessed with the narrative of AI distillation? What are the risks of a divided global AI ecosystem? And can global cooperation bridge geopolitical divides and unify international AI governance?