US and China hold trade and AI talks ahead of Trump-Xi summit

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday he held "very successful" talks with Chinese officials on trade and artificial intelligence, emphasizing enhanced communication on AI-related risks. Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York, joined by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in discussions lasting about eight hours that paved the way for potential agreements ahead of Thursday's summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Washington. The US proposed establishing a mutual notification mechanism for security incidents and a new "US-China AI dialogue" framework, with both sides agreeing to hold further meetings. The talks aim to ease tensions over trade, technology, and strategic issues, including extending the trade truce and setting regulatory controls for AI development.