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Bessent calls the China talks a "very successful engagement"; The New York Times says China's farm purchases "Hasn't Happened"

Days before Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping, the US Treasury secretary said Sunday's talks went well and proposed an alert system for AI incidents. The New York Times reported an "uneasy" truce and unmet farm purchases. Reuters reported progress on Boeing orders. We hold no Chinese account of the talks.

Trump admin won't give AI leaders a 'liability shield,' Bessent tells CNBC
Trump admin won't give AI leaders a 'liability shield,' Bessent tells CNBC as published by CNBC · seen at CNBC
United States United States China Taiwan

Washington's account. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told The Hill the Sunday talks were "a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI". The Hill, The Washington Post and The New York Times all report the AI proposal he described: the two governments would notify each other of AI incidents that rise to "a national security" level.

The doubts. The New York Times calls the truce "uneasy". It says tit-for-tat measures "call into question the stability" of the deal. It also reports that China has not bought the extra farm goods it promised, except soybeans. Only the Times reports this. We could not check it against a second source.

Question One account Another account
How did the talks go? "Very successful" (Bessent, to The Hill) "Now Comes the Hard Part" (New York Times)
Is China buying? Farm goods: "It Hasn't Happened" (New York Times) Boeing: "making progress" (Reuters)
When? Xi travels "on Wednesday" (Breitbart) Meetings "on Thursday" (Washington Post)

The two dates may not conflict: one is travel, the other is the meetings.

What is not settled - China's side. None of the 13 reports quotes a named Chinese official. - Whether a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan goes ahead. Beijing wants it frozen, the Times reports. - Whether the Boeing and farm purchases are ever completed.

What this is about: the leaders of the world's two largest economies meet this week. The talks will test a trade truce that both sides call fragile.

How it got here. Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. He raised tariffs on Chinese goods sharply, and China answered with tariffs of its own. For much of 2025 the two governments traded tariffs and export limits in turn. Talks between Treasury officials and Chinese negotiators then produced a truce: tariffs came down, and China promised to buy more American goods, including farm produce. The truce has held since then, but it is a pause, not a settled deal. The Reuters report we hold says China announced Boeing purchases in May.

Who is involved, and why. - Donald Trump, the US president, wants China to buy more American goods and to narrow the trade gap. - Xi Jinping, China's president and Communist Party leader, wants tariffs and technology limits eased. He also wants US arms sales to Taiwan stopped. - Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, leads Washington's trade talks. His counterpart is China's vice premier. - Taiwan is a self-governing island. Beijing says it is part of China. US law, the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, commits Washington to supplying weapons Taiwan needs to defend itself. - Japan and South Korea are US treaty allies. Beijing's dealings with Washington affect their security.

What is at stake. Farm exports and aircraft orders matter to American farmers and to Boeing. A shared alert system for AI incidents would be a new channel between two rival powers. A frozen arms sale would be a change in US policy towards Taiwan.

Where it stands. Officials held preparatory talks on Sunday. China's Foreign Ministry has confirmed Xi's trip. Trump is at the United Nations on Tuesday. The meetings with Xi are on Thursday.

What is being argued about

  • Whether the US-China trade truce is holding
  • Whether China is buying the farm goods and aircraft it promised
  • A proposed US-China alert system for AI incidents
  • A $14 billion US arms sale to Taiwan that Beijing wants frozen
One set of talks, three verdictsSide by side
OutletWhat it saidWhose voice
The Hill"We just had a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI"Bessent, quoted
The New York Times"Trump and Xi Meet Amid an Uneasy U.S.-China Trade Truce"The report's own
The New York Times"China Promised to Buy More U.S. Farm Goods. It Hasn't Happened."The report's own
Reuters"China making progress on finalizing Boeing purchases announced in May"The report's own
The Washington Post"the president will largely stand alone"The report's own
Only Bessent's verdict is quoted from an official. None of the reports we hold quotes a named Chinese official.
Sources The Hill
Centre estimate · not a score
The Hill 🇺🇸US · digital · independent Bessent on talks with China ahead of Trump-Xi meeting: ‘Very successful engagement’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Hill → What we have measured Accusation attributed the word lying is placed in a named politician's mouth, not the outlet's ×1Actor named No actor named for who kept reporters out ×1Actor named No actor named for who let reporters back in ×1Actor named Names the state as the one that carried out the execution. ×1 from 4315 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump and Xi Meet Amid an Uneasy U.S.-China Trade Truce Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent China Promised to Buy More U.S. Farm Goods. It Hasn’t Happened. Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → Reuters
Centre estimate · not a score
Reuters 🇺🇸US · wire · independent China making progress on finalizing Boeing purchases announced in May · no time published Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Reuters → What we have measured Actor named The attacker is the subject of an active verb for both the deaths and the damage ×1Actor named No actor named for who cancelled the flights ×1Agreement stated flat, source in a tail attribution moved after the dash ×1Announcement written as settled A social-media post becomes a future indicative: the conversion will happen ×1 from 13380 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T The Washington Post
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Washington Post 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump heads into a week of diplomacy, hampered by a lack of allies Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Washington Post → What we have measured Accused's denial carried the only report carrying the Marine's side ×1Actor named via accusation the administration is named as acting, through the ranchers' charge; the price rise is stated flat ×1Asserted, not attributed a shift of power to Iran stated flat in the headline ×1Asserted or attributed the headline states as data what the body shows the chair selecting in a speech ×1 from 1237 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The week of the summit, as the reports give itTimeline
  1. 2026-09-21— no time published Bessent and China's vice premier Talks on trade and AI on Sunday; the US proposes an AI incident alert systemThe New York Times, The Hill
  2. 2026-09-21— no time published Chinese Foreign Ministry Confirms Xi will travel to the United States on WednesdayBreitbart
  3. 2026-09-22— no time published Trump At the United Nations on TuesdayThe Washington Post
  4. 2026-09-23— no time published Xi Jinping Travels to the United StatesBreitbart
  5. 2026-09-24— no time published Trump and Xi Meetings on ThursdayThe Washington Post
The dates follow the weekdays the reports name. Breitbart gives Xi's travel day and the Washington Post gives the meeting day, so the two need not conflict.
Sources The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent U.S. and China Discuss System to Warn of A.I. National Security Issues Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Hill
Centre estimate · not a score
The Hill 🇺🇸US · digital · independent Bessent: US suggesting AI alert system with China ahead of Trump-Xi talks Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Hill → What we have measured Accusation attributed the word lying is placed in a named politician's mouth, not the outlet's ×1Actor named No actor named for who kept reporters out ×1Actor named No actor named for who let reporters back in ×1Actor named Names the state as the one that carried out the execution. ×1 from 4315 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → Breitbart
Right estimate · not a score
Breitbart 🇺🇸US · digital · independent China Confirms Xi Jinping to Visit U.S. on Wednesday Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Breitbart → What we have measured Anyone hurt is counted, not named eight deaths given as a number only ×1Framing of motive The lede calls the denial a punishment and puts 'fake news' in quotation marks; the officials being sued are left unnamed ×1How the person shot is named a status, not a name: the only report that never uses either name calls him an illegal alien ×1How the place is described a party label attached to the city in the same clause as the casualty count ×1 from 3584 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T The Washington Post
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Washington Post 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump heads into a week of diplomacy, hampered by a lack of allies Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Washington Post → What we have measured Accused's denial carried the only report carrying the Marine's side ×1Actor named via accusation the administration is named as acting, through the ranchers' charge; the price rise is stated flat ×1Asserted, not attributed a shift of power to Iran stated flat in the headline ×1Asserted or attributed the headline states as data what the body shows the chair selecting in a speech ×1 from 1237 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The bias in this coverageBias

One side's account of the talks

Five reports are built around the Treasury secretary's account of the talks. None of the reports we hold quotes a Chinese official by name; China's vice premier is mentioned, but not quoted. On purchases, one report says the farm promises went unmet and another says Boeing orders are progressing.

5 reports built on the Treasury secretary's account 0 reports quoting a named Chinese official 2 reports on whether China kept its purchase promises
Scored without the mastheads. Where the two passes differ, both are kept.
Sources The Hill
Centre estimate · not a score
The Hill 🇺🇸US · digital · independent Bessent on talks with China ahead of Trump-Xi meeting: ‘Very successful engagement’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Hill → What we have measured Accusation attributed the word lying is placed in a named politician's mouth, not the outlet's ×1Actor named No actor named for who kept reporters out ×1Actor named No actor named for who let reporters back in ×1Actor named Names the state as the one that carried out the execution. ×1 from 4315 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Hill
Centre estimate · not a score
The Hill 🇺🇸US · digital · independent Bessent: US suggesting AI alert system with China ahead of Trump-Xi talks Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Hill → What we have measured Accusation attributed the word lying is placed in a named politician's mouth, not the outlet's ×1Actor named No actor named for who kept reporters out ×1Actor named No actor named for who let reporters back in ×1Actor named Names the state as the one that carried out the execution. ×1 from 4315 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T The Washington Post
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Washington Post 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent U.S. proposes AI incident alert system in talks with China Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Washington Post → What we have measured Accused's denial carried the only report carrying the Marine's side ×1Actor named via accusation the administration is named as acting, through the ranchers' charge; the price rise is stated flat ×1Asserted, not attributed a shift of power to Iran stated flat in the headline ×1Asserted or attributed the headline states as data what the body shows the chair selecting in a speech ×1 from 1237 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent U.S. and China Discuss System to Warn of A.I. National Security Issues Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Bessent and China Hail Progress on A.I. Talks. Now Comes the Hard Part. Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → CNBC
Centre estimate · not a score
CNBC 🇺🇸US · TV/radio · independent Trump admin won't give AI leaders a 'liability shield,' Bessent tells CNBC Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at CNBC → What we have measured Accepted term 'refund' used without quotation marks ×1Asserted versus attributed gives the motive as fact, not as Trump's stated reason ×1Attackers named as proxies the attackers are named only through their backer, Iran ×1Attacks named but not counted The report names the attackers. 'Escalating' comes with no count of attacks or damage. ×1 from 2886 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump and Xi Meet Amid an Uneasy U.S.-China Trade Truce Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent China Promised to Buy More U.S. Farm Goods. It Hasn’t Happened. Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → Reuters
Centre estimate · not a score
Reuters 🇺🇸US · wire · independent China making progress on finalizing Boeing purchases announced in May · no time published Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Reuters → What we have measured Actor named The attacker is the subject of an active verb for both the deaths and the damage ×1Actor named No actor named for who cancelled the flights ×1Agreement stated flat, source in a tail attribution moved after the dash ×1Announcement written as settled A social-media post becomes a future indicative: the conversion will happen ×1 from 13380 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent One Issue That Could Upend Fragile U.S.-China Ties: Taiwan Arms Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → Breitbart
Right estimate · not a score
Breitbart 🇺🇸US · digital · independent China Confirms Xi Jinping to Visit U.S. on Wednesday Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Breitbart → What we have measured Anyone hurt is counted, not named eight deaths given as a number only ×1Framing of motive The lede calls the denial a punishment and puts 'fake news' in quotation marks; the officials being sued are left unnamed ×1How the person shot is named a status, not a name: the only report that never uses either name calls him an illegal alien ×1How the place is described a party label attached to the city in the same clause as the casualty count ×1 from 3584 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T The Washington Post
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Washington Post 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump heads into a week of diplomacy, hampered by a lack of allies Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Washington Post → What we have measured Accused's denial carried the only report carrying the Marine's side ×1Actor named via accusation the administration is named as acting, through the ranchers' charge; the price rise is stated flat ×1Asserted, not attributed a shift of power to Iran stated flat in the headline ×1Asserted or attributed the headline states as data what the body shows the chair selecting in a speech ×1 from 1237 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → Reuters
Centre estimate · not a score
Reuters 🇺🇸US · wire · independent Rubio meets Japanese and Korean allies ahead of Trump China summit · no time published Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Reuters → What we have measured Actor named The attacker is the subject of an active verb for both the deaths and the damage ×1Actor named No actor named for who cancelled the flights ×1Agreement stated flat, source in a tail attribution moved after the dash ×1Announcement written as settled A social-media post becomes a future indicative: the conversion will happen ×1 from 13380 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Claims and verdicts

No claims registered.

Who wrote it

A Ana Swanson The New York Times · 2 reports on this story
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Company's knowledge says the company learned late; the other reports do not×1
Reporter's assessment the reporter's own judgement that the truce is unstable, with no source named×1
Symmetric agency Both governments are named as acting×1
Verb chosen 'Meddled' stated flat; success is implied×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 disputed1 unverified
From 19 reports we hold under this byline, at The Sydney Morning Herald, The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
J Julia Shapero The Hill
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Cause stated flat the war as the cause of rising gas prices is stated, not attributed×1
Headline verb Says 'held steady', which is true of the annual rate. The same report gives a 0.4 percent rise for the month.×1
Measure chosen 'held steady' refers to the annual rate; the monthly rise is given too×1
Unattributed concern a 'growing' concern is asserted with nobody named as holding it×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
2 true
From 82 reports we hold under this byline, at The Hill. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
R Riley Beggin The Washington Post
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified
From 22 reports we hold under this byline, at The Washington Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
T Tara Suter The Hill
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Allegation placed with the woman The allegation is attributed to the woman herself, not left without a source.×1
Asymmetric labelling the Speaker carries party and state in the first clause×1
Headline beyond body one suspected case becomes an 'outbreak' in the headline×1
Headline built from one side's words the critic's adjectives carry the headline unquoted-in-body form×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 misleading2 unverified1 true
From 205 reports we hold under this byline, at The Hill. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
D Dan Mangan CNBC
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 48 reports we hold under this byline, at CNBC. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
K Kevin Breuninger CNBC
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Causal claim passed through quoted, no counter in the lede×1
Cause asserted without attribution the war is given as the cause of high prices in the outlet's own voice, with no actor and no figure×1
Cause stated in the outlet's voice the war is given as the reason prices are high inside the reported clause, not attributed to the speaker×1
Headline frame The headline calls the sanctions an 'attack'; the other four headlines say 'sanctions' or 'targets'×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 disputed5 unverified4 true
From 43 reports we hold under this byline, at CNBC. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
A Andrew Ross Sorkin The New York Times
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Cost figure chosen more than $1 trillion, stated in the report's own voice×1
No actor named The calls for a ban have no one named as making them, although the division is said to be among Republicans.×1
No actor named the report does not say who is calling for the ban×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified1 true
From 39 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
B Bernhard Warner The New York Times
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Cost figure chosen more than $1 trillion, stated in the report's own voice×1
No actor named The calls for a ban have no one named as making them, although the division is said to be among Republicans.×1
No actor named the report does not say who is calling for the ban×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified1 true
From 40 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
M Michael J. de la Merced The New York Times
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Cost figure chosen more than $1 trillion, stated in the report's own voice×1
No actor named The calls for a ban have no one named as making them, although the division is said to be among Republicans.×1
No actor named the report does not say who is calling for the ban×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified1 true
From 43 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
S Sarah Kessler The New York Times
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Cost figure chosen more than $1 trillion, stated in the report's own voice×1
No actor named The calls for a ban have no one named as making them, although the division is said to be among Republicans.×1
No actor named the report does not say who is calling for the ban×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified1 true
From 42 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
S Sui-Lee Wee The New York Times
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Stated flat the headline asserts the promises went unmet, in the report's own voice×1
Stated flat The headline states flat that China has not kept its purchase promise×1
From 9 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
M Michael Birnbaum The Washington Post
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Assessment in the reporter's voice The only report that judges the outcome itself rather than relaying either leader's verdict.×1
Assessment in the writer's voice The claim that the president is isolated is made by the writer, not by a named source×1
How hard the claim is stated The Danish caveat that the deal is not final sits inside the sentence×1
Loaded verb 'slam' in the headline for an objection the body attributes×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 misleading3 disputed1 unverified5 true
From 16 reports we hold under this byline, at The Washington Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
A Amy Chang Chien The New York Times
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 1 report we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
C Chris Buckley The New York Times
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 10 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
A Alan Rappeport The New York Times
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 19 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times, The Sydney Morning Herald. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
L Lauren Hirsch The New York Times
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 16 reports we hold under this byline, at The New York Times. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting. · 3 reports we hold carry no byline — we do not invent one.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

Reuters
Centre estimate · not a score
Reuters 🇺🇸US · wire · independent China making progress on finalizing Boeing purchases announced in May · no time published Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Reuters → What we have measured Actor named The attacker is the subject of an active verb for both the deaths and the damage ×1Actor named No actor named for who cancelled the flights ×1Agreement stated flat, source in a tail attribution moved after the dash ×1Announcement written as settled A social-media post becomes a future indicative: the conversion will happen ×1 from 13380 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says China is making progress on finalizing Boeing purchases announced in May.
Read it at Reuters → https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/china-making-prog…
Reuters
Centre estimate · not a score
Reuters 🇺🇸US · wire · independent Rubio meets Japanese and Korean allies ahead of Trump China summit · no time published Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Reuters → What we have measured Actor named The attacker is the subject of an active verb for both the deaths and the damage ×1Actor named No actor named for who cancelled the flights ×1Agreement stated flat, source in a tail attribution moved after the dash ×1Announcement written as settled A social-media post becomes a future indicative: the conversion will happen ×1 from 13380 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says Secretary of State Rubio met Japanese and Korean allies, and that the US stressed its backing for Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Read it at Reuters → https://www.reuters.com/world/china/rubio-meets-japanese-korean-allies-…
Breitbart
Right estimate · not a score
Breitbart 🇺🇸US · digital · independent China Confirms Xi Jinping to Visit U.S. on Wednesday Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Breitbart → What we have measured Anyone hurt is counted, not named eight deaths given as a number only ×1Framing of motive The lede calls the denial a punishment and puts 'fake news' in quotation marks; the officials being sued are left unnamed ×1How the person shot is named a status, not a name: the only report that never uses either name calls him an illegal alien ×1How the place is described a party label attached to the city in the same clause as the casualty count ×1 from 3584 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says China's Foreign Ministry confirmed Xi travels on Wednesday. Calls Xi a "genocidal dictator" in its own voice.
China Confirms Xi Jinping to Visit U.S. on Wednesday Evan Vucci / POOL / AFP via Getty Frances Martel21 Sep 2026 The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday morning that genocidal dictator Xi Jinping will be traveling to the United States on Wednesday for meetings with President Donald Trump and other senior American officials. President Trump invited Xi to America in May during his own visit to Beijing that month, seeking to stabilize the bilateral relationship as the United States contends with a host of unethical behaviors from China, including intellectual property theft, transnationa
Label in the reporter's voice: a charge is used as a title, unattributed, in a routine travel report — “genocidal dictator Xi Jinping”
Label in news copy: The report calls Xi a 'genocidal dictator' in its own voice, with no attribution — “genocidal dictator Xi Jinping”
Read it at Breitbart → https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2026/09/21/china-confirms-xi-jinping-to-…
The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump and Xi Meet Amid an Uneasy U.S.-China Trade Truce Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says tit-for-tat measures call the truce's stability into question.
Beyond warm meetings between their leaders, the countries are engaging in tit-for-tat measures that call into question the stability of their arrangement.
Reporter's assessment: the reporter's own judgement that the truce is unstable, with no source named — “tit-for-tat measures that call into question the stability of their arrangement”
Symmetric agency: Both governments are named as acting — “the countries are engaging in tit-for-tat measures”
Read it at The New York Times → https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/business/economy/trump-xi-china-trad…
The Hill
Centre estimate · not a score
The Hill 🇺🇸US · digital · independent Bessent: US suggesting AI alert system with China ahead of Trump-Xi talks Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Hill → What we have measured Accusation attributed the word lying is placed in a named politician's mouth, not the outlet's ×1Actor named No actor named for who kept reporters out ×1Actor named No actor named for who let reporters back in ×1Actor named Names the state as the one that carried out the execution. ×1 from 4315 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Gives the proposal's name, the "U.S.-China AI dialogue", and says it covers incidents that reach "a national security" level.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday the U.S. is proposing a notification system between Washington and Beijing on AI amid growing concerns about the technology’s risks to humanity. The system, called the “U.S.-China AI dialogue,” would create a mechanism for the two superpowers to communicate when there are incidents that rise to “a national security…
Unattributed concern: a 'growing' concern is asserted with nobody named as holding it — “amid growing concerns about the technology’s risks to humanity”
Unattributed concern: The report says concern is growing but does not say whose — “amid growing concerns about the technology’s risks to humanity”
Read it at The Hill → https://thehill.com/policy/technology/6101437-bessent-proposes-ai-notif…
T The Washington Post
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Washington Post 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent U.S. proposes AI incident alert system in talks with China Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Washington Post → What we have measured Accused's denial carried the only report carrying the Marine's side ×1Actor named via accusation the administration is named as acting, through the ranchers' charge; the price rise is stated flat ×1Asserted, not attributed a shift of power to Iran stated flat in the headline ×1Asserted or attributed the headline states as data what the body shows the chair selecting in a speech ×1 from 1237 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Read it at The Washington Post → https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/21/us-proposes-ai-incid…
The Hill
Centre estimate · not a score
The Hill 🇺🇸US · digital · independent Bessent on talks with China ahead of Trump-Xi meeting: ‘Very successful engagement’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Hill → What we have measured Accusation attributed the word lying is placed in a named politician's mouth, not the outlet's ×1Actor named No actor named for who kept reporters out ×1Actor named No actor named for who let reporters back in ×1Actor named Names the state as the one that carried out the execution. ×1 from 4315 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Carries Bessent's own verdict, "a very successful engagement", in the headline.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said recent talks with Chinese officials went well, a few days before President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet later this week. “We just had a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI, completing where we left off in Beijing. We created…
Whose verdict leads: the Treasury secretary's own verdict is the headline, and no Chinese voice is quoted — “Bessent on talks with China ahead of Trump-Xi meeting: ‘Very successful engagement’”
Whose voice: The talks are called a success only in the words of the US Treasury secretary — ““We just had a very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade and AI”
Read it at The Hill → https://thehill.com/policy/international/6101242-bessent-china-trade-bo…
CNBC
Centre estimate · not a score
CNBC 🇺🇸US · TV/radio · independent Trump admin won't give AI leaders a 'liability shield,' Bessent tells CNBC Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at CNBC → What we have measured Accepted term 'refund' used without quotation marks ×1Asserted versus attributed gives the motive as fact, not as Trump's stated reason ×1Attackers named as proxies the attackers are named only through their backer, Iran ×1Attacks named but not counted The report names the attackers. 'Escalating' comes with no count of attacks or damage. ×1 from 2886 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Bessent tells CNBC the administration will not give AI companies a "liability shield".
Bessent spoke with CNBC's "Squawk Box" about AI safety concerns and this week's summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.
Read it at CNBC → https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/21/treasury-bessent-cnbc-squawk-trump-bond…
The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Bessent and China Hail Progress on A.I. Talks. Now Comes the Hard Part. Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says both sides hailed progress on AI, and that the harder part comes at the summit.
Artificial intelligence and more are expected to be big issues at this week’s summit between President Trump and Xi Jinping, China’s top leader.
Read it at The New York Times → https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/business/dealbook/bessent-china-ai-t…
The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent China Promised to Buy More U.S. Farm Goods. It Hasn’t Happened. Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
The only report saying China has not bought the promised farm goods. It names soybeans as the exception.
Soybeans are the notable exception, revealing Beijing’s selective approach to fulfilling trade commitments ahead of the summit between President Trump and Xi Jinping.
Stated flat: the headline asserts the promises went unmet, in the report's own voice — “China Promised to Buy More U.S. Farm Goods. It Hasn’t Happened.”
Stated flat: The headline states flat that China has not kept its purchase promise — “China Promised to Buy More U.S. Farm Goods. It Hasn’t Happened.”
Read it at The New York Times → https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/business/china-agriculture-trade-soy…
T The Washington Post
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Washington Post 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent Trump heads into a week of diplomacy, hampered by a lack of allies Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Washington Post → What we have measured Accused's denial carried the only report carrying the Marine's side ×1Actor named via accusation the administration is named as acting, through the ranchers' charge; the price rise is stated flat ×1Asserted, not attributed a shift of power to Iran stated flat in the headline ×1Asserted or attributed the headline states as data what the body shows the chair selecting in a speech ×1 from 1237 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says Trump will "largely stand alone" at the UN and with Xi. The report states this as its own judgement.
At the United Nations on Tuesday and in meetings with China's Xi Jinping on Thursday, the president will largely stand alone.
Reporter's assessment: the claim that the president has no allies is stated as fact, not attributed — “the president will largely stand alone.”
Assessment in the writer's voice: The claim that the president is isolated is made by the writer, not by a named source — “the president will largely stand alone”
Read it at The Washington Post → https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/21/trump-speak-un-host-…
The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent One Issue That Could Upend Fragile U.S.-China Ties: Taiwan Arms Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says Beijing is pressing Trump to freeze a proposed $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan.
As Beijing presses President Trump to freeze a proposed $14 billion weapons sale to the island, Taiwan is trying to show that its security is in U.S. interests.
Read it at The New York Times → https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/world/asia/china-trump-taiwan-arms-s…
The New York Times
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The New York Times 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent U.S. and China Discuss System to Warn of A.I. National Security Issues Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The New York Times → What we have measured Active and passive voice the ship is 'targeted' with no actor, one sentence before a named actor is given for the Saudi attack ×1Active vs passive voice Pike is named as the killer in the active voice; the botched execution has no actor named ×1Actor label Names the shooter by its backer, not by its own name. ×1Actor named Names the official and what the process did to Pike. ×1 from 3862 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says Bessent and China's vice premier discussed a shared view of AI's goals and threats.
In a meeting on Sunday, the U.S. Treasury secretary and China’s vice premier talked about having a shared vision on the goals of artificial intelligence and the threats it poses.
Read it at The New York Times → https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/business/us-china-ai-warning-system-…
Checked, didn’t cover
Mother Jones
Left estimate · not a score
Mother Jones 🇺🇸US · magazine · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Asserted, not attributed 'ultra-gerrymandered' stated as fact ×1Asserted versus attributed 'Cover-up' is asserted in the report's own voice, not attributed ×1Asserted versus attributed calls it a cover-up in its own voice ×1Assertion vs attribution describes the operation as a 'violent occupation' in its own voice, with no source for the phrase ×1 from 361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → N NPR
Centre estimate · not a score
NPR 🇺🇸US · public broadcaster · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Asserted, not attributed that the system wrongly flagged citizens is stated flat, with no source named for it ×1Asserted versus attributed public disbelief stated as established, with nothing cited that measured it ×1Asserted versus attributed Past threats of force are stated flat, as background ×1Asymmetric labelling one side tagged by its patron, the other not ×1 from 1144 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → P Politico
Centre estimate · not a score
Politico 🇺🇸US · digital · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times → Fox News
Right estimate · not a score
Fox News 🇺🇸US · TV/radio · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Accused named Names one former fraternity member through his lawyer's denial. The woman is anonymous by her own choice. ×1Actor in headline The headline names Trump as the one acting. The body names only Anduril. ×1A number, with no people named The only report that gives a figure counts the journalists whose communications were swept up. It names none of them. ×1Asserted, not attributed stated flat: past court defeats are asserted with no case, judge or date named ×1 from 6432 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → MSNBC
Left estimate · not a score
MSNBC 🇺🇸US · TV/radio · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Accuser not named The lede does not name the senator making the accusation ×1Actor named for the ban The White House is the subject of both verbs: it blocked journalists, then let CNN back in. ×1A first stated flat a never-before claim carried without a source attached ×1Asserted, not attributed absence of fraud evidence stated as fact ×1 from 1470 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → National Review
Centre-right estimate · not a score
National Review 🇺🇸US · magazine · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Asserted not attributed Doubt about the allegation is stated flat, in the outlet's own voice ×1Asserted not attributed An argument about deterrence is stated as fact ×1Asserted versus attributed calls it an abuse of power in its own voice ×1Asserted versus attributed 'Abuse of presidential power' is stated flat ×1 from 414 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Silence is recorded, not inferred — each of these was read when we built this story and carried nothing on this event.
We could not read these
The Wall Street Journal
Centre-right estimate · not a score
The Wall Street Journal 🇺🇸US · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times → Associated Press
Centre estimate · not a score
Associated Press 🇺🇸US · wire · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Dating and attribution Dates the signing to Aug. 6, 2026 and writes ord ×1Dating and attribution Carries a dateline correction, repeated three ti ×1How hard the claim is stated Marks "birth tourism" as the administration's ow ×1How hard the claim is stated high ×1 from 223 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
These are must-cite outlets for this desk that we did not manage to read when we built this story. That is a gap in our reach, not a silence on their part, and it is not evidence of anything about this story.

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