US and China Officials Lay Groundwork for Xi-Trump Summit, Tackle Economy and AI Safety

Top officials from the United States and China, including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, held critical preparatory talks in New York on Sunday, September 20, 2026, ahead of an imminent summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The high-stakes discussions focused on defusing economic tensions and establishing guardrails for artificial intelligence, with the US proposing a new 'AI incident alert system' to enhance transparency between the two tech giants. The meetings are designed to set the stage for the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for September 24 at the White House, aiming to address thorny issues that include an expiring trade truce, the flow of critical minerals, and broader economic and technology disputes. Both sides are also looking to operationalize a 'Board of Trade' to identify non-sensitive goods for tariff reductions, building on previous efforts to manage a complex bilateral relationship often marked by competition. While analysts caution against expecting a grand breakthrough, these discussions signal an intent to maintain stability and seek 'deliverables' in key areas, including AI governance and trade. The upcoming presidential meeting will likely further address these points, alongside other geopolitical concerns like the Iran conflict and the release of American hostages, as the world watches for any indications of easing tensions or new areas of cooperation between the global superpowers.