Bessent and Greer to meet China’s He Lifeng in New York before the summit

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Sunday at JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York^1,2. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will join him at the table^3,5. A source cited in the reporting said Bessent plans to discuss artificial intelligence, trade, rare earths and economic issues when the two sides sit down⁴. Greer will be there alongside other officials, so the room is wider than the two principals³.

He Lifeng is in the United States from 19 to 23 September for the discussions⁸. The session is described as groundwork for the meeting between the two presidents, which is set for 24 September^3,7. Greer has taken part in earlier rounds of trade talks with China and is attending this one as well^5,6.

What is on the table

The tariff truce is expected to be one of the central issues⁶. Accounts of the agenda set out seven separate files for the two delegations to work through before the leaders meet⁶. Rare earths sit on Bessent’s own list for the meeting⁴.

The discussions are also expected to cover AI safety, including the handling of open-weight and closed-weight models⁵. That puts model governance in the same room as tariffs rather than on a separate track^4,5. Reporting on the session has framed it as preparation for the summit rather than a negotiation meant to conclude anything on its own^3,7.

Coverage has consistently placed the session at the bank’s New York headquarters, with the Treasury secretary and the trade representative on the American side and the vice premier leading for China^1,2,3. Both sides have signalled the agenda in advance rather than keeping it closed^4,5.

What to watch

The first question is whether any tariff moves are announced in the days between this meeting and the summit^6,7. The second is how much of the artificial intelligence agenda survives into the leaders’ meeting, given that it is being raised at working level first^4,5.

The venue is itself worth noting: the two delegations are meeting at a commercial bank’s headquarters rather than at a government building^1,2. Greer’s attendance alongside Bessent signals that the trade file, and not finance alone, is the centre of gravity for this round^3,5. The calendar is tight, with He Lifeng’s visit running only through 23 September and the two presidents due to meet the day after^7,8. Whether the rare earth question is settled at official level or pushed up to the leaders is the detail to look for in any readout^4,7.