US and China establish channel for AI incidents

The United States and China agreed to establish a channel for handling artificial intelligence-related incidents and step up military crisis communications after a three-day summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Washington. But Trump said Saturday that the United States would not slow its AI development or combine its efforts with China’s.

Both governments announced the AI channel, which will address the technology’s risks and benefits, according to CBS News. An AI-specific dialogue is scheduled for November. China’s Foreign Ministry said the countries also agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding on communications between their militaries aimed at preventing crises.

The summit produced no major breakthroughs. Speaking to reporters as he left the White House on Saturday, Trump said the two leaders had not spent much time discussing AI, Al Jazeera reported. He rejected calls to slow the technology’s development.

“The United States of America is not going to be putting on brakes,” Trump said, according to CBS News. “I would rather not integrate because we’re leading by a lot. When you’re leading, you don’t open it up to each other.” Trump said the United States led China in AI by at least a year, possibly longer.

Trump also promoted his preferred term for the technology, “super intelligence.” Al Jazeera reported that his administration announced Tuesday it would use that term in official communications. China’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday that China “respects” the change in phrasing and that countries could strengthen exchanges as the technology develops.

The leaders also agreed to extend a trade truce by two months, according to CBS News. China said the two sides would continue work on a pledge to reduce reciprocal tariffs on roughly $30 billion worth of goods. The White House said China agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of U.S. coal in 2027 and 2028.

The White House said a Board of Trade focused on selected bilateral issues began operating this week. The countries also established a Board of Investment to discuss investment opportunities and obstacles. Talks continued on U.S. concerns about rare earths shipments from China, CBS News reported.

Both governments said Iran should honor its stated commitment not to develop nuclear weapons and said no country should charge tolls on international waterways. The White House welcomed China’s decision to impose export controls on two additional chemicals used to produce fentanyl.

The leaders agreed to meet again at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November and later at the G20 gathering at Trump National Doral Miami, according to CBS News.