US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are scheduled to hold a critical meeting on Sunday morning to discuss key economic issues, trade, and artificial intelligence security. The high-level talks will take place at the JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York City, according to a person familiar with the planning.
Scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET, the Manhattan meeting serves as a crucial preliminary discussion ahead of a major diplomatic event later in the week. US President Donald Trump is slated to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House in Washington on Thursday and Friday for a highly anticipated summit.
Heightened Security and Venue Choice
While the talks are being held at JPMorgan’s headquarters, the banking giant is not directly involved in the bilateral discussions. Instead, JPMorgan agreed to provide its facilities as a secure venue. The decision comes amid heightened security measures across Manhattan as the city prepares for the United Nations General Assembly, which kicks off next week.
Corporate Ties to the Diplomatic Stage
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has maintained a presence on the periphery of these international economic engagements. Treasury Secretary Bessent recently invited Dimon to participate in a US-hosted G20 finance leaders meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, where the CEO spoke on private sector growth prospects.
Furthermore, Dimon is among the select group of American executives invited to attend the White House state dinner in honor of President Xi next week. However, US officials noted that Dimon was not part of the executive delegation that accompanied President Trump to Beijing in May during his previous meeting with the Chinese leader.
The Sunday meeting between Bessent and He highlights the ongoing efforts by both nations to navigate complex trade dynamics and emerging technological frontiers like AI security ahead of the leaders’ summit.