The US-China AI dialogue is taking shape after senior American and Chinese officials held talks in New York focused on artificial intelligence, trade and investment. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the meeting as “very successful” after roughly eight hours of discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
The talks took place at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters and also included US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese trade official Li Chenggang.
US and China Discuss AI Risks
Bessent said Washington proposed a notification system for serious AI-related incidents that could raise national security concerns.
The proposed channel would form part of the US-China AI dialogue. Bessent said both sides want to develop a shared understanding of common risks and agreed to meet again.
The discussions come as Washington and Beijing compete over advanced artificial intelligence while also facing concerns about AI-related cybersecurity, critical infrastructure and other national security risks.
Trade Issues Remain on the Agenda
Trade also remained a major part of the discussions.
US and Chinese officials are working on ways to reduce barriers affecting non-strategic goods. They also discussed the continuation of their broader trade truce and the implementation of previous commitments.
Critical minerals and rare earth materials were another important issue. China plays a major role in global rare earth supply chains, while US manufacturers depend on these materials for products ranging from electronics to industrial equipment.
The talks did not resolve every major dispute. Reuters reported that there was no clear progress on issues including increased Chinese purchases of US agricultural goods or aircraft.
Trump-Xi Summit Set for Thursday
The New York discussions are part of preparations for a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Thursday, September 24.
US officials said the latest talks were intended to prepare the ground for further discussions between the two leaders.
Chinese officials also described the discussions positively. Xinhua characterized the talks as candid, in-depth and constructive, according to Bloomberg.
For now, the proposed US-China AI dialogue represents a new channel for discussing AI-related risks while broader disagreements over trade, technology and strategic policy remain unresolved.
