Scott Bessent and He Lifeng are scheduled to discuss AI, trade and critical minerals in New York.
Why it matters: The agenda hits the core fault lines in U.S.-China economic ties, from tariff pressure to rare-earth supply chains. Companies and investors are watching for signs the two sides are easing tensions or hardening positions.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are set to meet in New York.
- U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said he will join Bessent on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.
- Reuters said the talks are meant to tee up possible agreements on AI, tariffs and critical minerals ahead of a Washington summit.
- Bessent later said the U.S. proposed a new AI "notification mechanism" for incidents that could affect national security.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are scheduled to hold talks in New York focused on AI, trade and critical minerals ahead of a U.S.-China summit in Washington, DC, according to Reuters.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said he will join Bessent in New York on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, to meet He before the summit, USTR said. Greer said the Trump administration will continue to pursue balanced trade with China by monitoring recent commitments, optimizing trade in non-sensitive goods and improving market access for American farmers, manufacturers and workers.
Reuters reported the talks were intended to tee up potential agreements on AI, tariffs and critical minerals, with the tariff truce's expiration and rare-earth flows among the key issues. China’s control over rare-earth and critical-mineral supply chains remains a central point of leverage in U.S.-China trade tensions, according to the USTR's 2026 trade materials.
After the talks, Bessent said the U.S. had proposed a new AI "notification mechanism" for incidents that could affect national security, according to AP. AP also reported that the two sides discussed an AI dialogue mechanism and broader economic and trade issues, while Chinese state media described the talks as "candid, in-depth and constructive."
The meetings come as both governments look for a way to manage competition without letting it spill further into trade, industrial policy and emerging technology.
By the numbers
- Sept. 20, 2026 - Date of the New York talks.
- 3 - Main agenda items named in the reporting: AI, trade/tariffs and critical minerals.
- 2 - Cities central to the sequence: New York for the talks and Washington, DC for the summit.
Yes, but: The exact content of any draft agreement remains undisclosed, and the reporting does not show whether the talks will produce any concrete deal.
What's next: Bessent and Greer are slated to meet He Lifeng in New York on Sept. 20, 2026, ahead of the Washington summit.