Archive · 21 Sep 2026
US, China Begin Trade and AI Talks Before Trump-Xi Summit
American and Chinese officials are meeting in New York before their leaders meet.
They are discussing trade, computer technology called artificial intelligence, and important minerals.
The two countries have a temporary trade agreement that may end in November.
They must decide whether to keep that agreement.
The United States also wants China to provide more rare earth materials.
These materials are used in cars, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
The countries may discuss ways to make AI safer and prevent their systems from becoming completely separate.
Analysts do not expect a major breakthrough, but the talks could help keep tensions from getting worse.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng began high-level talks in New York on Sunday.
The discussions cover trade, artificial intelligence and critical minerals ahead of a planned Trump-Xi White House meeting.
Officials are reviewing whether to extend a fragile trade truce scheduled to expire in November.
The United States says China has not sufficiently restored the flow of rare earths and other critical minerals.
US officials have proposed discussing AI safeguards, shared risks and the future of open-weight and closed-weight models.
- Who
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are participating; Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are expected to meet afterward.
- What
- The United States and China have begun high-level talks on trade, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.
- When
- The talks began on Sunday, four days before the expected Trump-Xi meeting; the trade truce is due to expire in November.
- Where
- The officials are meeting in New York, while the planned leaders' meeting is at the White House.
- Why
- The talks aim to prepare for the leaders' meeting, manage economic and technology tensions, and seek limited agreements that could preserve the trade truce.
- US participants
- Scott Bessent and Jamieson Greer
- Chinese participant
- Vice Premier He Lifeng
- Main topics
- Trade, artificial intelligence and critical minerals
- Trade truce
- The current arrangement is due to expire in November
- Critical minerals
- Rare earth magnets and other minerals used in automobiles, electronics and advanced manufacturing
- Planned summit
- Donald Trump is expected to host Xi Jinping at the White House
- Expected outcome
- Analysts cited do not expect a major breakthrough; the immediate goal is to maintain the trade truce and find limited agreement