U.S. and China Discuss AI, Tariffs, and Critical Minerals Ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting

KOMPAS.com – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng are scheduled to meet in New York on Sunday (September 20, 2026) to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), trade tariffs, and the supply of critical minerals.

The meeting takes place ahead of a high-level summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington later this week. The talks between Bessent and He will also involve U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

The meeting is set to begin around 10:30 a.m. local time (14:30 GMT) at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters in Manhattan and is expected to last the entire day.

Discussing tariff ceasefire and critical minerals

According to Reuters, a key agenda item is the status of the U.S.-China trade tariff ceasefire, which is due to expire on November 10, 2026.

Both countries will also talk about the flow of rare-earth magnets and critical minerals from China. U.S. officials consider current supplies insufficient to meet the needs of both domestic and global users.

Another issue is the potential implementation of safeguards or guard rails for AI. This discussion arises amid reports of security breaches involving AI models.

Analysts expect the U.S. and China to reach only limited agreements, mainly as a signal that both sides remain committed to preventing a deterioration in trade relations.

"I think there will be some tangible outcomes to show since there will be a presidential meeting. However, I don’t feel we are on the verge of a major breakthrough," said Anna Ashton, a China trade analyst and founder of Ashton Intelligence.

"I believe maintaining the status quo is probably the best common expectation for both parties," she added.

Continuing Trump and Xi Jinping's agreements

Many of the issues to be discussed by Bessent, He, and Greer are continuations of topics from the Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing last May.

One focus is the effort by both nations to reduce tariffs on non-strategic goods. China had also previously committed to increasing purchases of U.S. agricultural products by 17 billion U.S. dollars annually and buying over 200 Boeing aircraft.

The talks between Bessent, He, and Greer also continue a pattern of negotiations conducted over the past 16 months.

These three officials have met multiple times across cities in Europe and Asia to prepare possible agreements for discussion between Trump and Xi.

The effort includes the trade ceasefire reached in Busan, South Korea, in November 2025.

The agreement capped U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods imposed during Trump’s administration at around 20 percent, following a tariff escalation that resulted in triple-digit rates on both sides.