US touts 'very successful' talks with China on trade, AI

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Sunday's meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng "very successful".
• The discussions laid the groundwork on trade and AI ahead of Thursday's Trump-Xi summit.
• Washington proposed a bilateral notification mechanism to address shared AI risks.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Sunday that high-level engagements with Chinese officials regarding trade policy and artificial intelligence ended on a "very successful" note.

Bessent met for an all-day session with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Washington.

The talks served as a critical prelude to an upcoming high-stakes summit scheduled for Thursday between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We just had a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI," Bessent told reporters following the conclusion of the daylong negotiations.

In New York City, Vice Premier He Lifeng and I are continuing our discussions on the U.S.-China economic and trade relationship ahead of @POTUS’ historic summit with President Xi in Washington. These talks help lay the groundwork for President Trump to advance America’s economic… pic.twitter.com/phmF11Aoxi

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) September 20, 2026

During the negotiations, artificial intelligence emerged as a primary focus, with the United States presenting formal proposals to increase communication regarding emerging technological risks.

Bessent detailed that the US side advocated for structured communication protocols to manage the strategic and security implications of AI development.

"We have proposed a notification mechanism between the two countries, and we want a shared vision of common goals and common threats," Bessent explained regarding the AI proposals.