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 “coming
weeks,”
U.S.
Secretary
of
State
Anthony
Blinken
said
Friday,
providing
no
update
over
the
future
of
Chinese
social
media
giant
TikTok.

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

“Earlier
today
we
agreed
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
safety
concerns
around
advanced
AI
and
how
best
to
manage
them,”
Blinken
said
during
a
press
conference.

The
U.S.
imposed
restrictions
on
Beijing’s
ability
to
access
high-end
tech
and
is
moving
close
to
banning
social
media
app
TikTok,
unless
its
Chinese
parent
ByteDance
sells
it.

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

China’s
foreign
ministry
confirmed
the
AI
talks
will
take
place
in
a

statement,
which
detailed
a
wider
five-point
agreement
between
Washington
and
Beijing.

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

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

“China
has
demonstrated
in
the
past
when
it
comes
to
Russia
and
Ukraine
that
it
can
take
positive
actions,”
he
said,
referencing
a
message
delivered
by
Xi
in
March
2023,

warning
Russia
against
the
use
of
nuclear
weapons
in
Ukraine.

Blinken
nevertheless
added
that
he
had
reiterated
Washington’s “serious
concerns”
over
China’s
suspected
role
in
sustaining
Moscow’s

military
capabilities,
particularly
via
products
that
support
its
defense
industrial
base.
Beijing
has
denied
that
it
is
assisting
Russia
militarily,
noting
that
its
trade
with
Moscow
constitutes “normal economic
cooperation.”

Blinken
said
that
no
further
action
had
been
taken
against
Beijing,
amid

reports
that
Washington
is
drafting
sanctions
to
cut
off
some
Chinese
banks
found
to
be
enabling
such
trade.

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