# US and China plot AI safety talks before Trump-Xi summit

> Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the world's top two AI powers are discussing a notification system for security incidents.
- Title: US and China plot AI safety talks before Trump-Xi summit
- Summary: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the world's top two AI powers are discussing a notification system for security incidents. The US and China are moving…
- Keywords: china, artificial intelligence, ai safety, notification mechanism, scott bessent, he lifeng, donald trump, xi jinping, national security, trade talks, summit, plot
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8vgyzn2d31yo
- Published: 2026-09-21T05:50:56.388+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: us, china, artificial intelligence, ai safety, notification mechanism, scott bessent, he lifeng, donald trump, xi jinping, national security, trade talks, summit
## US and China discuss AI safety plan
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the two countries discussed creating a notification system for AI incidents affecting national security during talks with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York.

> moving from opaque to more transparency between the number one and the number two AI powers in the world is very important
## Meeting sets stage for Trump-Xi summit
The talks between Bessent and He Lifeng come ahead of a summit between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington later this week.
## AI safety concerns mount globally
Researchers have warned of potential risks from AI development, and prominent industry figures are calling for a more cautious approach to the technology.
## Trump dismisses AI safety warnings
President Trump has largely dismissed concerns about AI's negative impact, arguing that existing policies are sufficient and that the US cannot afford to lose its competitive edge to China.

> whoever wins in AI, wins
## Tariff truce expires in November
The talks also covered plans to identify potential tariff cuts through the Board of Trade, as a truce in the tariff war between the two economies is set to expire on November 10.
## Previous summit yielded trade agreement
When Xi hosted Trump in Beijing in May, the leaders discussed AI collaboration and reached an agreement where China would buy Boeing jets and US agricultural goods in exchange for lower tariffs.
## Key takeaway

The US and China are moving toward transparency on AI incidents as part of broader economic talks, with Trump and Xi set to meet this week.