US proposes AI safety hotline with China despite Trump's competition stance

The US has proposed an AI safety notification mechanism with China during bilateral talks, despite President Donald Trump's emphasis on AI competition with Beijing. The proposal was made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York. The mechanism would cover AI incidents posing national security risks and aims to increase transparency between the world's two leading AI powers. Bessent stated that moving from opaque to transparent communication is important, though China's response remains unclear. The talks precede a Trump-Xi meeting in Washington this week. Trump has repeatedly framed AI as a critical race, saying "whoever wins with AI is going to win" and asserting US leadership. The proposal excludes export controls on AI chips, focusing instead on risk management, though analysts note low trust between the nations amid broader trade and technology disagreements.