Jensen Huang's Beijing Visit Signals Nvidia's Strategic Importance in China

Jensen Huang, Nvidia's CEO, is scheduled to visit Beijing on July 16, 2025, to hold a press briefing on the company's AI technologies, highlighting Nvidia's continued strategic significance for China despite ongoing US export restrictions. The visit is particularly notable as Nvidia's H20 chips, specifically designed for the Chinese market to circumvent US export controls, began shipping to China in the first quarter of 2024. Huang's visit coincides with the Beijing AI Expo event, where the CEO is expected to praise China's AI technology developments while strengthening Nvidia's position in this critical market.

China remains a key market for Nvidia, despite the United States implementing strict export restrictions on advanced AI chips to China in October 2022, which were further tightened in October 2023. These restrictions significantly impacted Nvidia's sales in China, which decreased from $5.5 billion in 2022 to $3.2 billion in 2023, representing a 41.8% decline. In response, Nvidia developed the H20, L20, and L2 chip series to comply with US restrictions while continuing to serve the Chinese market. Huang's visit coincides with reports that the US government is considering easing restrictions on Nvidia's H20 chips, potentially improving the company's prospects in China.

Huang's Beijing visit also carries diplomatic significance as US-China relations remain tense over technological competition. During the visit, Huang is expected to meet with Chinese technology leaders and government officials to discuss the future of AI technology and Nvidia's role in supporting China's AI ambitions. Nvidia's shares rose by 2.8% following the announcement of the visit, reflecting investor optimism about the company's strategy in China. For Nvidia, China remains the second-largest market after the United States, with the company's chips playing a crucial role in AI developments by local tech giants such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, despite China's support for domestic chip manufacturers like Huawei and Cambricon.

Sources:

Nvidia CEO to Hold Media Briefing in Beijing on July 16 At his second trip to China this year, Jensen Huang plans a media briefing coinciding with a supply chain expo, underscoring Nvidia’s balancing act amid tightening US-China AI chip export tensions.

‘Catalyst for progress’: Nvidia CEO hails China’s AI at Beijing expo

An estimated 650 companies from 60 countries have gathered at the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing.

Al JazeeraAl Jazeera

Jensen Huang woos Beijing as Nvidia finds a way back into China

Wearing his iconic leather jacket, Huang walked into the sunny courtyard of the Mandarin Oriental hotel earlier than scheduled and took multiple questions.

CNBCEvelyn Cheng