Nvidia’s Huang to visit China as export curbs squeeze access to AI chip market

BEIJING — Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, is slated to visit China shortly, coinciding with the approach of the mid-February Lunar New Year, according to sources familiar with the situation. This visit arrives at a time when the U.S. chip manufacturer faces significant hurdles in accessing the Chinese market, which historically represented over 20% of Nvidia's data center revenues. U.S. export regulations have restricted Nvidia's ability to sell its most advanced chips to China, as the U.S. government aims to sustain its technological advantage over China in the realm of artificial intelligence development. During his trip, Huang is expected to attend a company gathering in Beijing and meet potential buyers to address recent challenges related to the distribution of U.S.-approved Nvidia chips in the region. Reports indicate that China may only permit local acquisitions of Nvidia's H200 AI chips for limited applications, such as research purposes. When questioned about this development, China's Commerce Ministry stated it was not aware of any such restrictions. Bloomberg initially reported on Huang's impending visit to China, and Nvidia has refrained from commenting on the travel plans. Last year, Huang made at least three visits to mainland China, including one for Lunar New Year festivities.