U.S. seeks ‘AI dialogue’ with China as officials set stage for Trump-Xi summit

U.S. and Chinese economic officials discussed creating a communication channel for AI concerns at meetings on Sunday (September 20, 2026) as they set the stage for a summit of the countries’ top leaders this week.

The talks come as both powers confront rising fears that increasingly capable artificial intelligence systems could wipe out humanity, offering a rare incentive for cooperation despite an intensifying race for technological supremacy.

“We just had a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters after long talks with a team led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

The talks are a prelude to a planned White House meeting on Thursday (September 24) of the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies: U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.