Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Joins Trump’s China Trip as Export Curbs on AI Chips Remain in Focus

Huang Added to Delegation After Trump Call

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has joined U.S. President Donald Trump on the president’s trip to China, reversing earlier indications that the chip executive was not part of the traveling delegation.

According to a source familiar with the matter cited by CNBC, Trump contacted Huang after media reports highlighted his absence and asked him to participate. The source said Huang traveled to Alaska to board Air Force One mid-journey.

Trump is bringing more than a dozen U.S. executives to Beijing this week, where he is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday.

Nvidia Confirms Attendance, White House Silent

In a statement, a spokesperson for the chipmaker said, “Jensen is attending the summit at the invitation of President Trump to support America and the administration's goals.”

When asked about Huang joining the trip from Alaska, Nvidia reiterated the same comment and did not offer additional details on the timing. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump also addressed the matter publicly, confirming in a social media post that Huang was on board Air Force One and rejecting reports that the Nvidia CEO had not been invited.

Trump Puts Market Access on the Agenda

In the same post, Trump said that expanding access to China for U.S. companies would be his “first request” to Xi. He described Xi as a leader of “extraordinary distinction” and said he would ask China to “open up” so U.S. business leaders could operate more freely.

Trump’s comments referred broadly to the U.S. executives traveling with him, positioning the visit as a high-level push for commercial engagement.

AI Chip Export Controls Remain Central to Nvidia’s China Outlook

Huang’s presence comes at a time when Nvidia’s most advanced chips—widely used to train AI models—have faced tighter U.S. restrictions on sales into China over the last four years.

Nvidia said in February that U.S.-government-approved versions of its chips had not yet been allowed into China, underscoring ongoing friction around export controls even for products designed to comply with U.S. policy.

Those restrictions have direct financial implications for the world’s most prominent AI chip supplier, given China’s importance as a major market for advanced computing demand.

China Accelerates Domestic Alternatives, Notes Nvidia’s Dominance

China, for its part, has sought to strengthen its domestic semiconductor capabilities and develop AI systems that reduce reliance on Nvidia hardware. The article cited China’s efforts to build its own chips and to develop AI models such as DeepSeek that do not depend on Nvidia.

Earlier this month, an article in the official journal of the ruling Chinese Communist Party said local companies had to slow development due to U.S. chip restrictions. At the same time, it highlighted Nvidia’s dominance in the global market for graphics processing units (GPUs)—the backbone of much of modern AI training infrastructure.

Former Commerce Secretary: Export Control Deal Still Distant

Despite Huang’s inclusion in the delegation, expectations for a near-term breakthrough on export controls remain tempered.

Carlos Gutierrez, a former U.S. secretary of commerce, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” that he still believes the U.S. and China are “far away from a deal on export controls.” However, he characterized Huang’s participation as constructive, saying it is positive that the Nvidia CEO is there as part of the president’s delegation and that it matters for both Huang and Trump.

Coinasity's Take

Huang joining Trump’s Beijing trip puts AI chip export controls and GPU supply chains back at the center of U.S.-China economic talks. While the visit signals high-level engagement and underscores Nvidia’s strategic relevance, the reported distance from any export-control agreement suggests near-term market dynamics will continue to be shaped more by policy limits and domestic substitution efforts than by immediate regulatory relief.