US and Chinese negotiators meet in New York ahead of White House summit
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng opened talks in New York on Sunday to establish terms on tariffs, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals ahead of Thursday's White House meeting.
Preparatory negotiations in New York
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met on Sunday at JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York to conduct preparatory talks ahead of the scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer joined the meeting, which was arranged to span most of the day. The delegations convened to negotiate initial frameworks on tariffs, artificial intelligence safety, and critical mineral exports before the heads of state meet in Washington.
I look forward to targeted, comprehensive and constructive talks today that will set the stage for the meeting between our leaders.
Trade truce and bilateral commitments
A central focus of the negotiations is the bilateral trade standstill agreement that is set to expire on 10 November 2026. The existing truce originated in November 2025 during talks in Busan, South Korea, capping US tariffs on Chinese goods at approximately 20 percent after reciprocal retaliation had driven duties into triple-digit levels. Negotiators in New York are working to extend the truce and address commitments left unresolved after the leaders met in Beijing in May. Those outstanding items include mutual tariff reductions on non-strategic goods, alongside previous Chinese pledges to increase purchases of US agricultural products by $17 billion annually and acquire more than 200 Boeing aircraft.
Critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and Iran
The talks also cover US concerns over supplies of Chinese rare earth minerals and permanent magnets, which serve as essential inputs for smartphones, the automotive industry, and defense manufacturing. US officials consider current delivery levels insufficient and are seeking assurances that Beijing will refrain from introducing new export restrictions. On technology policy, discussions address risk mitigation for open and closed artificial intelligence systems, with US officials aiming to avoid technological decoupling. Geopolitical tensions over Iran form an additional element of the agenda. Bessent oversees economic sanctions intended to cut off financial resources to Tehran, while China remains a diplomatic partner of Iran and a primary purchaser of Iranian crude oil.
- Bessent and He Lifeng hold preparatory talks at JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York.
- Xi Jinping lands at Joint Base Andrews with welcoming reception by Trump.
- Trump and Xi hold bilateral meeting at White House followed by a state banquet.
- Bilateral trade standstill agreement expires.
Diplomatic schedule in Washington
The preliminary talks follow a 16-month pattern of bilateral coordination to structure agreements between the two economies. Chinese President Xi is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews, an airfield located southeast of Washington. Trump plans to welcome Xi at the aircraft upon arrival. The official presidential meeting will take place at the White House on Thursday, followed by a state banquet hosted by Trump. Analysts cited across the talks anticipate incremental progress rather than comprehensive breakthroughs.
