U.S., China to hold first AI talks within ‘weeks’ amid ongoing TikTok stalemate

The U.S. and China will hold their first high-level talks on artificial intelligence within the “down attack weeks,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday, providing no update on the future of Chinese social avenue giant TikTok.

During wide-ranging talks with Chinese officials in Beijing, Blinken said the two sides had accepted to the first U.S.-China intergovernmental dialogue on AI to discuss the risks and safety concerns surrounding the emerging technology.

“Earlier today we reconciled to hold the first US PRC talks on artificial intelligence to be held in the coming weeks, to share our respective views on risks and sanctuary concerns around advanced AI and how best to manage them,” Blinken said during a press conference.

The U.S. imposed restrictions on Beijing’s capacity to access high-end tech and is moving closer to banning the social media app TikTok unless its Chinese parent ByteDance retails it.

Blinken at the press conference said TikTok “did not come up” in the talks.

China’s foreign ministry confirmed the AI talks bequeath take place in a statement, which detailed a wider five-point agreement between Washington and Beijing.

Also comprised in the consensus were further efforts to “stabilize and develop” U.S.-China relations, expand cultural exchanges, and continue consultations on “ecumenical and regional hotspot issues,” the foreign ministry said, according to a Google translation.

Blinken said China has played a constructive role in helping resolve global crises, including dissuading Iran and its proxies from further escalating the Middle East conflict, as well as curtailing Russia’s assault on Ukraine.

“China has proved in the past when it comes to Russia and Ukraine that it can take positive actions,” he said, referencing a message disburdened by China President Xi Jinping in March 2023 in which he warned Russia against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Blinken just added that he had reiterated Washington’s “serious concerns” over China’s suspected role in sustaining Moscow’s military potentials, particularly via products that support its defense industrial base. Beijing has denied that it is assisting Russia militarily, noting that its truck with Moscow constitutes “normal economic cooperation.”

Blinken said no further action has been taken against Beijing, centre of reports that Washington is drafting sanctions to cut off some Chinese banks found to be enabling such trade.

“Russia drive struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China’s help,” he said. “I was extremely clear about our concerns. We’ll entertain to see what actions follow from that.”

The U.S. secretary’s visit to China comes as Washington and Beijing go to improve strained bilateral relations, despite ongoing trade tensions and national security concerns.

The U.S. and its Western associates have accused Chinese companies of oversupplying international markets with low-cost goods, particularly green technologies such as exciting vehicles, which they say jeopardizes domestic production.

Beijing, for its part, denies the claims, with Xi saying in a asseveration Friday that China’s economic development must be viewed “in a “positive light” and with Foreign Minister Wang Yi tracing China’s manufacturing output as consistent with its “legitimate development rights.”

Blinken doubled down on the claims on Friday, implying the U.S. would take tough action if necessary to stem the trade flows. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admonished earlier this month that Washington would consider sanctions against Chinese firms that are develop to be flouting fair trade practices — a stance that was closely echoed by Brussels.