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China, Russia and US try to nail down AI nuclear agenda in time for Apec talks

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Razdan, K., Sim, D., Seth, N., & Zheng, W. (2026, November 11). China, Russia and US try to nail down AI nuclear agenda in time for Apec talks. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3374003/china-russia-and-us-try-nail-down-ai-nuclear-agenda-time-apec-talks

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

South China Morning Post · collected 2026-11-11 · by Khushboo Razdan, Dewey Sim, Nayan Seth, William Zheng

Quick Summary

China, Russia, and the United States are attempting to establish an agreement on controlling AI use in nuclear arsenals ahead of the Apec summit in Shenzhen next week. After weeks of negotiations, sources indicate that discussions have moved away from topics like Ukraine and North Korea's denuclearization towards finding areas where consensus can be reached, focusing particularly on the role of artificial intelligence in nuclear command systems.
Written by AI on 2026-11-11, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

As of November 10, 2026, President Donald Trump confirmed he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, from November 18 to 19. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning previously stated that Beijing is in communication with relevant parties regarding such a meeting. However, major deliverables are expected to be postponed until their next meeting at the Group of 20 (G20) summit scheduled for December in the United States. During the APEC talks, Trump indicated discussions would include denuclearization and efforts to end the war in Iran.

Written for “Trump Xi Jinping Summit Planned” on 2026-11-11, grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political question, so it has no leaning score. That is an answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political position.
No political leaning scored for article 143523 · logged 2026-11-11

Story

Trump Xi Jinping Summit Planned
Politics · 7 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 25% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
4
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
25%
1 of 4 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
62/100
South China Morning Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
7
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-11-11 · how these are computed

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Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

South China Morning Post · 4120 article(s) · 8 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 8 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Khushboo Razdan
32 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
With Ukraine and North Korea off the table, the search is on for areas of possible consensus between Xi, Putin and Trump 4-MIN READ4-MIN Listen Talks between China, the US and Russia could yield a commitment to control AI in nuclear arsenals as part of a broader agenda on global governance, sources told the South China Morning Post.
Will Europe feel the impact?
Republican China hawks may try to challenge the influence of the US president and his Maga allies after election disaster In the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump displayed unwavering confidence in his star power, urging supporters to close their eyes and “pretend I’m on the ballot”.
‘I wasn’t on the ballot’: Trump deflects blame as Democrats on track to control Congress Democrats are projected to seize control of both chambers of Congress as the president says he will accept the election result “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!
The breakthrough came in New York, where Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the 2025 mayoral race gave the movement its biggest electoral triumph yet.
While strategic rivalry remains, changing tone between the two powers could help Beijing sell its version of China to the world The social media trend celebrates the features of Chinese life, from high-speed trains and indoor slippers to drinking hot water.
SCMP has previously reported that Quad and Squad meetings were being planned on the sidelines of Asean events US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to the Philippines this week to meet regional allies, the Pentagon announced on Sunday.
Will Xi, Trump, Putin meet at Apec?
So what, exactly, does it mean to “talk” when the two countries are still competing over the technologies that will shape the next decade?
Tokyo is hoping for a visit by the US president that would signal the strength of the relationship between the two allies The US president spent three days in Japan ahead of last year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, and his meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was hailed as a sign of a “new golden age” in the countries’ relationship. But since then Trump’s growing rapport with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has caused concern in Japan, which has seen its own relationship with Beijing deteriorate sharply following controversial comments by Takaichi about Taiwan.
Also by Khushboo Razdan
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 32 articles by Khushboo Razdan →
Dewey Sim
19 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
With Ukraine and North Korea off the table, the search is on for areas of possible consensus between Xi, Putin and Trump 4-MIN READ4-MIN Listen Talks between China, the US and Russia could yield a commitment to control AI in nuclear arsenals as part of a broader agenda on global governance, sources told the South China Morning Post.
All three accompanied Trump on his state visit to Beijing in May.
With Democrats set to take over Congress in January, they will have the power to block Trump’s agenda and investigate his administration.
US midterms will not upend broader China strategy, but ‘blue tsunami’ could shift Washington’s tactics, Zhao Minghao says
ExclusiveAustralian PM to visit Beijing after China-hosted Apec summit as tensions simmer Despite efforts to stabilise relations, Canberra’s ties with Beijing continue to be tested by a range of issues 2-MIN READ2-MIN Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to travel to Beijing next month as Canberra seeks to deepen a relationship which stabilised after years of trade disputes but has been recently complicated by geopolitical tensions. Sources told the South China Morning Post that Albanese would first attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit in Shenzhen, which runs from November 18 to 19, before travelling to the Chinese capital.
Will Xi, Trump, Putin meet at Apec?
Tokyo is hoping for a visit by the US president that would signal the strength of the relationship between the two allies The US president spent three days in Japan ahead of last year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, and his meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was hailed as a sign of a “new golden age” in the countries’ relationship. But since then Trump’s growing rapport with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has caused concern in Japan, which has seen its own relationship with Beijing deteriorate sharply following controversial comments by Takaichi about Taiwan.
Beijing is “willing to continue” fast-tracking licenses for rare earth mineral exports to Europe, while the sides will continue negotiations on reducing tariffs and creating minimum price deals that would allow Chinese electric vehicles to enter the EU market at a lower duty rate, according to the statement.
ExclusiveGerman President Steinmeier targets China trip as Berlin sharpens trade stance Trip coincides with Merz’s Asia tour as Berlin and Paris advocate new EU mechanism to exclude rule-breaking trade partners It will mark the first official visit to China since 2018 for Steinmeier, a former foreign minister whose decade-long tenure as president ends in March 2027.
Trump may also be accompanied by his wife, Melania, who has not travelled to Asia with her husband since 2020, sources say If the trip happens, Trump’s appearance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting, expected to run from November 16-18 in Manila, will be his second consecutive appearance at the gathering during this term.
Also by Dewey Sim
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 19 articles by Dewey Sim →
Nayan Seth
31 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
With Ukraine and North Korea off the table, the search is on for areas of possible consensus between Xi, Putin and Trump 4-MIN READ4-MIN Listen Talks between China, the US and Russia could yield a commitment to control AI in nuclear arsenals as part of a broader agenda on global governance, sources told the South China Morning Post.
All three accompanied Trump on his state visit to Beijing in May.
The fallout from the Nvidia scandal may test the fragile truce between the US and China, analysts say, as calls in Washington grow to tighten semiconductor export controls just days before US President Donald Trump is due to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Shenzhen, China.
“He underscored that continued progress depends on concrete results and that the United States will closely assess China’s implementation of the arrangement.”
President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Philippines for this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit before travelling to the November 18-19 Apec event, where he will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the third time this year.
Will China travel hurt US students’ careers?
ExclusiveUS-China negotiators race to nail down concrete deals as Shenzhen Apec looms Progress made in investment and trade talks ahead of Xi and Trump meeting, but complexities remain, multiple sources said Multiple sources told the South China Morning Post that intense negotiations would continue in coming weeks, with Washington and Beijing still facing hurdles to finalising a complex package of institutional frameworks and economic agreements.
‘China already has spies’ at US AI labs, claims ex-Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon alleges Beijing can close any technological gap with the US as it has ways to ‘steal our progress at any time and catch up’ “Right now, if we just stopped, they would try and catch up.
US accuses mainland China of targeting Taiwan leader’s family in surveillance case FBI says US citizen Zhang Wanying filmed William Lai Ching-te’s son’s home and vehicles in Seattle before trying to fly to Shanghai The FBI accused her of surveilling the Taiwanese leader’s son and his family in Seattle last year, filming their home and vehicles and sharing the footage with handlers in China.
Greer says no specific timeline set for enforcing US-China Board of Trade United States Trade Representative confirms recommendations must go through a legal process before implementation of new economic initiative Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Trade Ministers’ meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Greer said the tariff reductions under the mechanism were “a policy outcome” and that the recommendations would have to go through a legal process before implementation.
Also by Nayan Seth
Nvidia scandal may test fragile US-China truce, experts say
2026-11-10 · South China Morning Post
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 31 articles by Nayan Seth →
William Zheng
22 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
With Ukraine and North Korea off the table, the search is on for areas of possible consensus between Xi, Putin and Trump 4-MIN READ4-MIN Listen Talks between China, the US and Russia could yield a commitment to control AI in nuclear arsenals as part of a broader agenda on global governance, sources told the South China Morning Post.
All three accompanied Trump on his state visit to Beijing in May.
China poised to restore military presence to top leadership at party congress Analysts say they expect PLA seats on Politburo and Central Committee left vacant by anti-corruption drive to be filled next year 3-MIN READ3-MIN Beijing is expected to gradually restore military representation in its top leadership, analysts say, as the Communist Party seeks to strike a delicate balance in its relations with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) amid an anti-corruption drive that has hit the top ranks. Select Voice Select Speed 1x AI-generated voice
Choice of Mo Gaoyi as Yunnan chief shows how leadership criteria are evolving, analysts say, given his limited local government experience An analyst said that the move could reflect Beijing’s efforts to broaden the talent selection criteria for some senior roles, allowing specialists to take on important generalist positions.
China’s next generation of leaders waiting in the wings for more senior roles A meeting in Beijing this week will lay the groundwork for members of the Communist Party’s seventh generation – or 7G – to take on key roles Xie Maosong, a senior researcher at Tsinghua University’s National Institute of Strategic Studies, said the party was looking for cadres who had “absolute political loyalty, integrity, fighting spirit, technological or ‘hard science’ expertise, grass-roots experience and hardship resilience”.
ExclusiveBessent may skip Apec in Hong Kong to focus on Trump’s Shenzhen visit, sources say US Treasury secretary expected to meet Chinese vice-premier in Shenzhen ahead of summit in November as trade truce extension takes priority 3-MIN READ3-MIN 2 Listen US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent may skip a meeting of Apec finance ministers in Hong Kong later this month to focus on preparing for President Donald Trump’s historic visit to Shenzhen in November, sources told the South China Morning Post.
While it may have been unexpected for some, vacuum flasks usually filled with hot water are an everyday sight in China Extending this everyday practice to the White House banquet was in tune with the host nation’s own eccentricity.
China’s top envoy to US hails safeguards from head-of-state diplomacy, as Beijing rolls out severe penalties for non-pharma fentanyl crimes Under the strategic guidance of both leaders, the “giant ship” of China-US relations would continue to “break waves and sail ahead” along a trajectory of “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation”, Xie told state news agency Xinhua.
A look at past Sino-US summits offers insight, with trusted presidential aides and policy expertise expected to take centre stage 2-MIN READ2-MIN When Xi Jinping sits down with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, the Chinese leader’s side of the table will be filled with senior aides bringing extensive policy expertise.
ExclusiveUS weighs delaying Taiwan arms sales until after Apec and G20 summits Sources say the decision is expected to be a compromise between Donald Trump, Washington’s China hawks and Taipei’s lobbyists One source said Trump was considering various options to postpone the signing of Taiwan arms sales, but the final outcome would be a “compromise between him, the China hawks and Taiwan’s lobbyists”. “President Trump has considered delaying the [Taiwan] arms sales decision till end 2028 or January 2029, that is, towards the end of his current term.
Also by William Zheng
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 22 articles by William Zheng →

Topics

Apec China North Korea Russia Ukraine

Subjects

Apec ORG · 2× Russia GPE · 2× Ukraine GPE · 2× China GPE · 1× Korean NORP · 1× North Korea GPE · 1× Putin ORG · 1× Shenzhen GPE · 1× Trump PERSON · 1× the South China Morning Post ORG · 1×

Narrative

The sources said that the war in Ukraine and denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula had largely fallen off the table as possible topics, with the focus shifting to areas of potential consensus, particularly the role of artificial intelligence in nuclear command and control.
framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-11-11
With Ukraine and North Korea off the table, the search is on for areas of possible consensus between Xi, Putin and Trump 4-MIN READ4-MIN Listen Talks between China, the US and Russia could yield a commitment to control AI in nuclear arsenals as part of a broader agenda on global governance, sources told the South China Morning Post.
2026-11-11 · South China Morning Post
China, Russia and US try to nail down AI nuclear agenda in time for Apec talks · mixed framing

Claims (4 extracted, 1 hedged)

ExclusiveChina, Russia and US try to nail down AI nuclear agenda in time for Apec talks asserted
ExclusiveChina → try → talks
With Ukraine and North Korea off the table, the search is on for areas of possible consensus between Xi, Putin and Trump 4-MIN READ4-MIN Listen Talks between China, the US and Russia could yield a commitment to control AI in nuclear arsenals as part of a broader agenda on global governance, sources told the South China Morning Post. uncertain
sources → yield → Post
The three nations have engaged in weeks of back-and-forth discussion to nail down the agenda and protocol for talks between the countries’ leaders on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Shenzhen next week. asserted
nations → engage → Shenzhen
The sources said that the war in Ukraine and denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula had largely fallen off the table as possible topics, with the focus shifting to areas of potential consensus, particularly the role of artificial intelligence in nuclear command and control. asserted
focus → say → command
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