Scott Bessent emphasizes US-China AI cooperation amid differences
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new bilateral dialogue focused on 'superintelligence' between the United States and China, emphasizing the need to cooperate on AI risks while competing for technological leadership.
Bessent made the announcement at the National Committee on US-China Relations gala on November 10, 2026, in New York. He emphasized that while the world's two largest AI powers should harbor no illusions about their differences, they must find ways to collaborate on managing AI risks.
Superintelligence Dialogue Framework
The centerpiece of this initiative is a bilateral dialogue focused on 'superintelligence' (SI), which will allow both nations to exchange best practices for evaluating and testing advanced AI models. The framework also includes maintaining human control over AI systems and establishing a direct communication channel to alert both countries about serious AI incidents.
The dialogue is meant to let both sides swap best practices for evaluating and testing advanced AI models. It also covers keeping humans in control of those systems.
Shenzhen Summit Engagement
Bessent confirmed he will join President Trump for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit on November 18-19. This will be the third Trump-Xi meeting this year, following previous gatherings in Beijing and Washington.
The incident-alert mechanism was reportedly agreed during a White House meeting in September 2026. Bessent characterized the frequency of US-China leader engagement in 2026 as historic, suggesting it lays a foundation for future cooperation.
De-risk Approach
The new dialogue reflects the administration's 'de-risk, not decouple' approach to China. This strategy aims to reduce dangerous dependencies without severing ties entirely. For AI, this means maintaining American AI progress while implementing guardrails where risks are shared between the nations.
The November summit will be the next test of this framework, with policymakers watching for concrete outcomes on superintelligence, testing protocols, and incident alerts that demonstrate whether this cooperation has real substance.
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