Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reaffirmed the importance of China to the global AI ecosystem on Wednesday, calling artificial intelligence models developed by Chinese tech giants Deepseek, Alibaba, and Tencent “world class” during an appearance at a supply chain expo in Beijing.
His remarks come amid rising geopolitical tensions, yet signal a significant step forward in U.S.-China tech cooperation, as Nvidia prepares to resume sales of its H20 AI chips to Chinese firms. The move was confirmed one day prior and is seen as a result of positive U.S.-China negotiations over rare earth exports and export controls.
Navigating Between Superpowers
Huang, currently on his third visit to China this year, is walking a fine line between the world’s two biggest economies, each of which is aggressively investing in AI, semiconductors, and advanced technologies. His visit comes shortly after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding political significance to his current engagements.
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“The Chinese market is massive, dynamic, and highly innovative. It’s crucial for American companies to establish roots in China,” Huang said in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday.
At the Beijing expo, Huang noted that the license process for chip orders would be accelerated.
“There are many order books already in,” he said. “I have been assured that the licenses will come very fast.”
Under current rules, Chinese buyers must submit individual orders to the U.S. government for approval. According to sources, ByteDance and Tencent are already preparing applications, though ByteDance has denied this. Tencent has yet to comment.
Nvidia’s Strategy: New Chips for China
To further comply with U.S. regulations while maintaining its foothold in China, Nvidia also announced the development of a new GPU, the RTX Pro, specifically tailored for the Chinese market. This chip is designed to stay within the boundaries of U.S. export controls, ensuring the company’s continued access to a critical customer base.
Meanwhile, rival chipmakers like AMD are also seeking export licenses to serve Chinese clients, creating a competitive dynamic in the race to power China’s fast-growing AI sector.
AI Driving Supply Chain Innovation
During his speech at the expo’s opening ceremony, Huang emphasized that AI is revolutionizing supply chains globally, with Chinese firms playing a key role in that transformation.
His visit and optimistic tone have been received as a positive signal for cross-border tech collaboration, even as broader geopolitical challenges remain.