US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are scheduled to meet in New York on Sunday, opening another high-level round of US-China economic discussions just days before President Donald Trump is due to host Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington. The meeting places trade, artificial intelligence security and broader economic relations at the center of negotiations between the world’s two largest economies.

According to a person familiar with the planning, the meeting is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET at JPMorgan Chase headquarters in Manhattan. The bank is providing its building as a secure venue amid heightened security in New York during the United Nations General Assembly, rather than participating in the negotiations.

Economic Talks Set the Stage for Trump-Xi Meeting

The Bessent-He meeting comes immediately before the planned Trump-Xi summit, giving the two economic officials an opportunity to address issues that could shape the agenda for the leaders’ discussions. Reuters reported that the Trump-Xi meeting is expected to cover trade, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and other economic matters.

For financial markets, the significance lies in whether Washington and Beijing can establish greater clarity around trade conditions. Tariffs and restrictions affecting cross-border commerce have created uncertainty for companies operating across manufacturing, technology and consumer markets.

The two governments have also been discussing areas where commercial arrangements could reduce friction. The discussions therefore extend beyond individual tariff measures to broader questions about market access, supply chains and the economic relationship between the two countries.

AI Security Adds a Strategic Dimension

Artificial intelligence is an increasingly important part of the bilateral economic relationship. Both the United States and China are major developers of advanced AI systems, while governments are simultaneously examining the technology’s security implications.

Including AI security in the Treasury-level discussions indicates that economic diplomacy is increasingly overlapping with technology policy. Questions surrounding AI development, deployment and safeguards have implications for technology companies, investors and industries adopting increasingly capable systems.

The discussions also come as Washington considers additional measures related to AI and national security. President Trump said on Saturday that he plans to create an AI force and appoint a new AI adviser, although details of the proposed structure were not immediately provided.

Critical Minerals and Trade Remain Important

Trade negotiations are also expected to remain focused on strategically important supply chains. Critical minerals and rare earth materials have become central to discussions between Washington and Beijing because they are essential to advanced manufacturing, electronics, energy technologies and defense-related industries.

Reuters reported that potential goals for the upcoming summit include securing Chinese rare-earth export licenses and maintaining the existing trade truce. Beijing, meanwhile, has sought relief from certain US technology restrictions.

These issues make the economic dialogue relevant beyond bilateral trade statistics. Changes in access to critical materials or technology can affect production costs and investment planning across global industries.

Markets Await Signals From Washington and Beijing

The Sunday meeting is expected to provide an important indication of the issues that may reach the leaders’ table later in the week. Previous meetings between Bessent and He have focused on trade and economic relations, providing an established channel for negotiations between Washington and Beijing.

Going forward, investors will monitor developments in tariffs, critical-mineral supply, AI policy and other economic measures. The ability of the two sides to produce concrete agreements or clearer policy signals could influence global trade expectations and the outlook for technology and manufacturing supply chains.