Trump hails 'very productive' talks with Xi as US and China agree to pursue AI discussions

Donald Trump has declared his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping "very productive", as the two leaders held a state visit in Washington while world leaders convened at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The discussions covered artificial intelligence and technology transfer licensing, with both governments agreeing to continue negotiations on those fronts in the weeks ahead. The meeting signals a degree of diplomatic engagement between Washington and Beijing on some of the most consequential technological questions facing the global economy.

The talks come at a time of intense international focus on how leading powers manage the development and spread of advanced technologies. Questions around who controls AI capabilities and how technology licensing is governed have become central to the broader rivalry between the United States and China, making the agreement to keep talking a notable outcome from the encounter.