Unsure about your reference, but is your argument: Someone else is doing it, so I should be allowed to as well.

That's basically the western companies complaining that they can't compete with China because Chinese companies are allowed to polute more, so they would be allowed to polute as well. I don't buy that. Once you realise that you're doing something wrong or dangerous, you stop, regardless of what everyone else is doing and what rules they have to follow.

the reference is that the idea is good but at the wrong time can lead to disastrous outcomes.

Some people say AGI/ASI will destroy the world. Others say, whoever makes it first gets to rule the world. So if slowing means China gets it first and it doesn't destroy the world then you'll be living under their thumb by slowing down now.