Beijing, April 17 – NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Beijing on April 17 at the invitation of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), marking his second visit to China in three months. The trip came as the company grappled with the ongoing impact of U.S. government restrictions on chip exports to China, a challenge that had significantly affected its operations in the region.

In his remarks, Huang acknowledged the impact of the U.S. export controls, particularly the restrictions on high-performance chips like the NVIDIA H20. He noted that as a U.S.-based company, NVIDIA must comply with these regulations. However, he emphasized that the Chinese market remained critical to the company's success and that NVIDIA would continue optimizing its product offerings to meet both U.S. and Chinese regulatory requirements.

Having worked in China for over 30 years, Huang highlighted the country's importance as one of the world's largest consumer markets and a hub for cutting-edge AI innovation. “China is a major force in global AI,” he said, pointing to the country's growing contribution to AI research, with Chinese researchers now responsible for nearly half of the global AI-related patents and publications.

During his visit, Huang also met with DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng to discuss the development of specialized AI chips tailored to meet China's market demands while adhering to international regulations. The collaboration aimed to balance the specific needs of Chinese customers with the ongoing geopolitical complexities.

In addition, Huang had a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, where he reaffirmed NVIDIA's confidence in China's economic future and its commitment to supporting U.S.-China economic cooperation.

This visit took place amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing. The U.S. had recently imposed tariffs up to 145% on certain Chinese imports, with China responding with retaliatory measures. On top of this, NVIDIA was facing scrutiny from both U.S. and Chinese regulators, including an ongoing investigation by China's anti-monopoly authorities into its 2022 acquisition of Israeli cybersecurity firm Mellanox.

Despite these challenges, Huang reiterated NVIDIA's commitment to innovation in AI technology and its long-term engagement with China. The company's revenue from the Chinese market had reached approximately $17 billion last year, underscoring the region's significance to NVIDIA's global business strategy.

As the global tech landscape evolves, Huang's visit signals that despite geopolitical tensions, NVIDIA remains committed to continuing its operations in China and fostering deeper collaboration in the AI field.