Ahead of Trump-Xi meeting, Washington and Beijing put AI and rare earths on the agenda
The U.S. and Chinese economic leaders are set to meet in New York ahead of the Trump-Xi summit. AI, rare earths, tariffs, and U.S. purchases are among the issues that could impact the trade truce.
SUMMARY
Washington and Beijing are set to resume high-level economic discussions in New York on Sunday, focusing on artificial intelligence, rare earths, and tariffs. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng just days before the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
The meeting will take place at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters in Manhattan. According to Reuters, both delegations aim to prepare limited but concrete advancements ahead of Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, as the trade truce between the two nations approaches a new deadline in November.
China has officially confirmed that He Lifeng will lead a delegation to the United States from September 19 to 23 for economic and trade consultations. Beijing indicates that the discussions will cover topics of mutual interest within the framework of the bilateral dialogue mechanism.
On the U.S. side, announced topics include AI-related security, critical mineral flows, tariffs, agricultural purchases, and certain Chinese investments. Rare earths remain a sensitive issue, as their availability is crucial for many technology and military industries.
Negotiations ahead of the Trump-Xi summit
This meeting comes after several months of negotiations aimed at stabilizing a trade relationship still marked by technological restrictions and tariff measures. In May, the White House announced a series of agreements that included Chinese commitments on critical minerals, Boeing purchases, and U.S. agricultural imports.
Reuters also reports that Washington wants to discuss rules regarding Chinese investments in certain sectors, while Beijing seeks to limit new U.S. restrictions. Both sides are also expected to address regulation and security in AI, an area where the U.S. and China hold a significant share of global capabilities.
Expectations remain cautious ahead of the meeting. The discussions in New York are primarily intended to outline the issues likely to be taken up at the presidential level during the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for September 24 and 25 in Washington.
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