US Treasury's Bessent, China's He to launch talks on AI, trade, critical minerals

The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, and China's Vice Premier, He Lifeng, are set to meet in Manhattan on Sunday (Sep 20) to discuss potential agreements on artificial intelligence, tariffs, and critical minerals ahead of a high-stakes Washington summit this week. The meetings, which will also include US Trade Representative Jamie Goode, are expected to run all day, with key topics including the status of a US-China trade truce set to expire on Nov 10, the flow of Chinese rare-earth magnets and critical minerals, and potential guardrails for artificial intelligence following security breaches.

Analysts predict that Washington and Beijing will likely agree on small steps to show they are avoiding escalating tensions in the delicate trade relationship, though a breakthrough seems unlikely.