Treasury Secretary Bessent Meets He Lifeng

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on Sunday to prepare for President Trump’s summit with President Xi Jinping later this week. The talks were meant to cover trade, artificial intelligence and critical minerals as both governments tried to reduce tensions before the leaders meet in Washington. AI safety is also on the agenda because both sides worry about dangerous models, even as neither is ready to slow the technology race. Trade pressure is rising because the current U.S.-China truce expires on November 10. Bessent called the meeting successful and said talks would continue, including on a possible AI dialogue. Analysts expect modest deliverables, not a breakthrough.