Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Sunday in what both sides characterised as constructive discussions covering trade and AI. The meeting set the stage for Thursday's summit between Trump and Xi in Washington — the first face-to-face meeting on US soil since 2017.
Bessent proposed a 'notification mechanism' for AI incidents that rise to the level of national security concern, part of what he called the 'U.S.-China AI dialogue.' 'We think that, just like with any cross-border activity, that moving from opaque to more transparency between the number one and the number two AI powers in the world is very important,' Bessent told reporters.
The Decoder and other outlets reported that the two sides had agreed to an official AI dialogue, though the BBC noted the mechanism is still under discussion. China's state news agency Xinhua described the talks as having 'candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges on key economic and trade issues,' and confirmed AI was discussed.
The talks also covered efforts to reactivate the Board of Trade, a body tasked with identifying potential tariff reductions. A truce in the tariff war between the world's two largest economies is set to expire on 10 November, adding urgency to the negotiations.
Bessent posted on X that the talks 'help lay the groundwork for President Trump to advance America's economic interests and deliver results for the American people.'
AI safety has moved to the forefront of international concern in recent days, with researchers warning of the technology's potential catastrophic risks and prominent industry voices calling for more cautious development. The dialogue between the US and China, the two leading AI powers, aims to create a channel for transparency and crisis communication.