Bessent to raise AI, rare earths with China's He as tech rivalry widens
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to engage in discussions with the Vice Premier of China, He Lifeng, about AI, rare metals, and trade. The fact that these issues are being discussed together indicates that AI has become an intrinsic part of the larger U.S.-China economic competition. AI policy is now welded to the whole economic fight The meeting comes days before President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet in Washington on September 24. Reuters, citing a source familiar with the plans, said the Bessent-He talks could continue at a technical or working level into Monday. The Associated Press first reported the US plans. The agenda indicates that AI has now become part of the broad economic link between the countries. Manufacturing and operating sophisticated models involves the use of chips, data centers, energy sources, and key minerals, which means that disagreements over AI impact trade and industrial regulations across borders. Discover more Merchant Services & Payment Systems Engineering & Technology financial The same interdependence motivates both parties to maintain a certain level of communication between them. Despite the tensions between Washington and Beijing, which arise in relation to technology and supply chain issues, Bessent stated that there might be opportunities to









