Chinese President Xi Jinping called for greater cooperation with the United States on artificial intelligence, highlighting AI as a potential area for collaboration between the world’s two largest economies.
Xi made the remarks during his first U.S. state visit in more than a decade, as he met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry account of Xi’s comments at a White House state dinner, the Chinese leader argued that AI offers more opportunities for cooperation than confrontation.
Xi and Trump Find Common Ground
Xi said his discussions with Trump resulted in a shared understanding on several issues.
He suggested that the talks had added new momentum to U.S.-China relations, despite continuing disagreements between Washington and Beijing in areas including technology and trade.
Both governments described Thursday’s bilateral discussions in positive terms. However, neither side immediately released extensive details about specific agreements reached during the talks.
AI Safety Emerges as a Key Issue
Artificial intelligence featured prominently during Xi’s remarks.
The Chinese president called for cooperation aimed at preventing the malicious use of AI technology.
He also emphasized the importance of maintaining human control over artificial intelligence and using the technology to support economic and social development.
The comments come as governments around the world increasingly debate how to balance rapid AI innovation with concerns surrounding security and safety.
U.S. and China Discuss AI Incident Alert System
AI cooperation has also been discussed at senior levels of the U.S. and Chinese governments.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng that included a proposal for an AI incident notification mechanism between the two countries.
Such a system could allow Washington and Beijing to communicate about significant AI-related incidents and potential security risks.
The discussions come amid growing international attention on AI safety and the development of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence models.
Trump and Xi Discuss Broader U.S.-China Relations
During his visit, Xi also drew comparisons between Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda and China’s goal of what Beijing describes as “national rejuvenation.”
Xi argued that the two national objectives could coexist rather than necessarily conflict.
The remarks formed part of a broader effort by the Chinese leader to emphasize areas where Washington and Beijing could cooperate despite their strategic rivalry.
U.S.-China Trade Truce Extended
Trade also remains a major focus of relations between the two countries.
Ahead of Thursday’s talks, the United States and China agreed to extend their existing trade truce by another two months, pushing the deadline into early January.
The extension provides both governments with additional time to negotiate outstanding economic and trade disputes.
Technology policy, tariffs, supply chains and access to advanced semiconductor technology remain important areas of discussion between Washington and Beijing.
AI Becomes Central to U.S.-China Relations
The growing importance of artificial intelligence has made the technology an increasingly significant part of relations between the United States and China.
Both countries are investing heavily in advanced AI systems while also competing for technological leadership.
At the same time, concerns surrounding AI safety, national security and potential misuse are creating incentives for greater communication between Washington and Beijing.
Xi’s latest comments suggest that AI cooperation could become one of the areas where the two governments attempt to establish common ground, even as broader technological competition continues.
Xi’s U.S. state visit comes only months after Trump traveled to Beijing earlier this year, underscoring the continued high-level engagement between the two governments.
