The United States and China are preparing to open a new phase of technological cooperation in one of the most sensitive areas of competition between the two powers, after Washington revealed arrangements to launch a bilateral dialogue on the risks of advanced artificial intelligence, a move aimed at reducing the potential for miscalculation between the two countries, without compromising the escalating competition for global technological leadership.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced, in statements reported by Reuters on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, that President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will discuss developing this dialogue during their upcoming meeting in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19.
The new track focuses on exchanging expertise related to testing advanced AI models and assessing their risks before they are released for widespread use, in addition to establishing a direct communication channel that allows for notifying the other party of serious technological incidents that could affect security or stability.
Bessent emphasized that cooperation in addressing common risks does not mean the disappearance of strategic differences between Washington and Beijing, stressing that both countries will continue to compete for technological leadership, while recognizing the need to prevent unchecked technical developments from becoming a source of international crises.
These moves come at a time when global investments in developing more advanced AI systems are accelerating, amid growing questions about the ability of government institutions and developer companies to ensure these systems remain subject to human oversight.
The expected rapprochement is not limited to technology, as the US Secretary indicated that there are parallel paths to discuss mutual tariff reductions covering non-sensitive goods worth $30 billion in each direction, in addition to discussing investment conditions and market access.
These initiatives reveal a potential shift in the management of US-China competition, based on separating areas that require cooperation to reduce risks from those where economic and technological confrontation continues. However, the success of the dialogue will remain linked to the extent of both parties' willingness to turn political understandings into practical, actionable mechanisms.
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