The United States has proposed a notification system that would allow Washington and Beijing to share information about artificial intelligence incidents that threaten national security. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the proposal after meeting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on Sunday.
The meeting prepared the ground for talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday. AI, trade, tariffs and economic relations are expected to form part of the leaders’ agenda.
Bessent Seeks More Transparency on AI Risks
Bessent said the proposed ‘notification mechanism’ would cover serious AI incidents that could affect either country’s national security. The system could give officials a direct channel for sharing information during an AI-related emergency. However, both countries have not released details about how it would operate or which incidents would require an alert.
“We want a shared vision of common goals and common threats,” Bessent told reporters. He added that moving ‘from opaque to more transparency’ between the world’s two leading AI powers was important. The talks took place at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters in New York and involved senior economic officials from both countries.
AI Competition Remains Part of Wider US-China Rivalry
The proposal comes as the United States and China compete to develop advanced AI models, computer chips and data infrastructure. Washington has restricted China’s access to some high-end chip technologies. Meanwhile, Beijing has invested heavily in domestic semiconductor production and AI research.
Trump has rejected calls for the United States to slow AI development. He has argued that tighter limits could allow China to close the technology gap with American companies. Even so, the new proposal shows that his administration is willing to discuss shared risks when AI incidents could cross national borders or threaten critical systems.
China has not publicly accepted the proposed mechanism. However, the state-run Xinhua news agency confirmed that Bessent discussed matters ‘relating to AI.’ It described their wider talks on economic and trade issues as ‘candid, in-depth and constructive.’ Both governments agreed to continue their dialogue, although they have not announced a formal AI agreement.
The alert proposal would mark an early step rather than a broad AI safety treaty. The two sides still differ over technology controls, access to advanced computing equipment and the rules governing AI development. Therefore, officials appear focused on creating a communication channel for emergencies before attempting a wider agreement.
Trade Issues Join AI on Trump-Xi Summit Agenda
Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also discussed economic matters with He. Greer said the countries had agreed to put a new ‘Board of Trade’ into operation. Trump and Xi first discussed the process during their meeting in Beijing in May.
“Today those notions have become reality,” Greer said. He added that officials were considering lower tariffs on certain ‘nonsensitive’ products. Possible categories include consumer goods, agricultural products, energy supplies and medical devices. However, negotiators have not approved a final list.
The current tariff truce between the United States and China is due to expire on November 10. As a result, this week’s summit may address its future alongside AI and supply-chain issues. The Trump-Xi meeting will also test whether the two governments can maintain a direct line of communication while their economic and technology competition continues.
