NEW YORK: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng began talks on Sun­day, as they set the stage for possible agreements on trade, AI and other issues before a summit of the countries’ top leaders.

The talks, which also include President Trump’s top trade official Jamieson Greer, are expected to last all day at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters in New York.

It is a prelude to a planned White House meeting of Trump and Xi on Thursday.

Both sides will be looking to ease tensions on trade, technology and other strategic concerns.

These include the possible extension of a trade truce expiring in Nove­mber and guardrails for artificial intelligence development. “I’m looking forward to have focused, fulsome and constructive talks today that will set the stage for our leaders’ meeting,” Bessent told reporters as he arrived for Sunday’s talks.

US officials will also be looking to ensure the continued flow of rare earth magnets and critical minerals that are vital for US manufacturers.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2026