China, US to work together to avoid AI risks

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have concluded a lavish three-day state visit to Washington. 

The White House said the two countries have agreed to open a special 'communication channel' to address any unforeseen situations or risks related to artificial intelligence or AI. The major announcement comes after a summit in Washington.

The two leaders discussed a range of issues, from technology and trade to the stalled war in Iran. After the meeting, they said they would meet again at two more international conferences to be held in China and the United States this year. However, Al Jazeera reported that despite the pomp and ceremony, no major breakthroughs were seen.

As part of the talks, the deadline for a trade deal that was due to expire in November was extended until January to give the two countries more time to negotiate. After the visit, Trump said the meeting had strengthened his personal relationship with Xi Jinping, which would bring long-term benefits to the United States. On the other hand, President Xi Jinping called for the relationship between the two countries to be seen as a "healthy competition" and said that the two superpowers have a major responsibility to properly use and manage AI technology.

Xi Jinping urged Trump to deal with the Taiwan issue with extreme caution during the meeting. The situation in the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula was also discussed. As part of the trade agreement, China will import at least 10 million metric tons of US coal in the next two years and will provide tariff relief on non-sensitive goods worth $30 billion. In addition, two pandas are to be sent to a US zoo as a gift.

The visit included not only political meetings, but also lavish state banquets, military parades, and the opportunity to view historical documents from the United States. Trump joked that while the United States is only 250 years old, China's history is nearly 6,000 years old.

Overall, the biggest achievement of this meeting is to keep the door open for dialogue between the two countries. The two world leaders will meet again at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China in November and the G20 summit in Miami in December.

Source: Al-Jazeera.