Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Set for Beijing Visit Amid U.S.-China Tech Tensions

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is scheduled to hold a media briefing in Beijing on July 16, 2025, marking his second visit to China this year. This trip underscores Nvidia's commitment to the Chinese market amid escalating U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips.

China accounted for $17 billion, or 13%, of Nvidia's total revenue in the last fiscal year, highlighting its significance to the company's global operations. However, recent U.S. government measures have imposed stringent controls on the export of advanced computing technologies to China, citing national security concerns. These restrictions have notably affected Nvidia's H20 AI chips, which now require special licenses for export, leading to an anticipated $5.5 billion charge due to inventory write-downs and canceled purchase commitments.

In response to these challenges, Nvidia is developing a China-specific AI chip, a modified version of its Blackwell RTX Pro 6000, designed to comply with U.S. export controls. This chip is expected to launch in September 2025, pending clearance from U.S. authorities. Despite reduced functionality, Chinese clients have shown interest, largely due to the cost of switching from Nvidia's CUDA ecosystem.

Ahead of Huang's visit, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including Republican Jim Banks and Democrat Elizabeth Warren, cautioned him against engaging with Chinese companies suspected of undermining U.S. export controls or those affiliated with China's military or intelligence sectors. They expressed concerns that such interactions could legitimize entities on the U.S. restricted export list and potentially reveal weaknesses in current export policies.

China, on its part, is accelerating efforts to develop its domestic semiconductor industry. Reports indicate plans to construct 39 AI data centers equipped with over 115,000 high-performance Nvidia GPUs, despite export controls. This move raises questions about the effectiveness of existing bans and highlights China's determination to advance its AI capabilities.

Huang has been vocal about the impact of U.S. export controls, stating that they have spurred China's innovation and scale. He noted that the assumption that China cannot make AI chips was always questionable and is now clearly wrong.

As Nvidia navigates these geopolitical tensions, Huang's upcoming visit to Beijing is being closely monitored by both U.S. and Chinese observers. The outcome of this trip could have significant implications for Nvidia's operations in China and the broader global semiconductor industry.