US seeks 'AI dialogue' with China as officials set stage for Trump-Xi summit

NEW YORK - US economic officials held extensive discussions with Chinese counterparts on Sunday to establish a communication channel for addressing AI-related concerns, as preparations are underway for a summit between the top leaders of both nations, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the talks, which lasted around eight hours at JPMorgan Chase's headquarters in New York, included discussions on setting up a notification mechanism to address potential AI incidents affecting national security.

Both sides have agreed to meet again to further explore this proposal. Li Chenggang, a senior Chinese official elevated to a top-level international trade representative position recently, was also present during the meetings. While the Chinese delegation did not provide press statements, US Trade Representative Jamie Jamieson Greer emphasized the necessity of working together to ease tensions in trade, technology, and other strategic concerns.

The US and China are also exploring ways to extend a trade truce and establish guardrails for AI development. Discussions regarding potential tariff reductions on certain goods and the continued flow of critical minerals vital for US manufacturers are also under scrutiny. Analysts warn of low expectations for the forthcoming Trump-Xi summit, with some suggesting that a short-term truce may be the only expectation.