US and China Launch Superintelligence Dialogue Ahead of Shenzhen Summit

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States and China will launch a bilateral dialogue on superintelligence to manage the risks of advanced AI and prevent misunderstandings. This initiative follows an agreement between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping to establish a direct alert system for serious AI incidents. The leaders are scheduled to meet in Shenzhen on November 18-19 during the APEC summit to discuss AI safety and trade.

During a gala in New York, Bessent advocated for a relationship based on reciprocity, arguing that the U.S. must produce more of what it consumes while China must increase domestic consumption. He emphasized a strategy to de-risk rather than decouple, proposing a Board of Trade for mutual tariff cuts on $30 billion of non-sensitive goods and a Board of Investment to improve market access. Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng echoed the need for cooperation, though he cautioned that challenges should not be underestimated.

While trade and AI dialogues progress, Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that technical-level discussions on AI safeguards remain a work in progress. Meanwhile, the diplomatic push occurs amid domestic tension in the U.S., where Senator Kevin Cramer and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have called for the resignation or investigation of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang following reports of an affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence asset.

Further diplomatic efforts include a video call between U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng regarding agricultural purchases and critical minerals. President Trump also expects to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Shenzhen to discuss denuclearization.