US lawmakers caution Nvidia’s Huang on China visit

Two senior US senators have warned Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang not to meet Chinese companies suspected of helping Beijing evade US export controls, intensifying scrutiny over American technology firms’ ties to China’s AI sector.

According to Reuters, the bipartisan warning comes in the form of a letter sent on Friday, just as Huang prepared for his trip to China. Republican Senator Jim Banks and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren urged him to avoid meetings with companies linked to China’s military or intelligence bodies, as well as firms placed on the US restricted export list. “We are worried that your trip to the PRC could legitimize companies that cooperate closely with the Chinese military or involve discussing exploitable gaps in US export controls,” the senators wrote, as quoted by Reuters.

Growing US concerns over AI technology transfers

The letter reflects Washington’s deepening fears that advanced American AI hardware could boost China’s military modernisation. Lawmakers across party lines have backed tighter restrictions on AI chip exports, worried about efforts to circumvent existing controls.

As per Reuters, the senators said advanced AI hardware could “accelerate the PRC’s effort to modernize its military.” They also cited Nvidia’s new research facility in Shanghai as an example of the company’s growing footprint in China, suggesting such moves risk aiding Beijing’s strategic ambitions. US lawmakers have proposed new legislation that would require AI chip makers to verify where their products ultimately end up, aiming to close loopholes that might enable transfers to Chinese military or intelligence-linked users.

Nvidia’s response and tightrope strategy

In response, an Nvidia spokesperson defended the company’s approach, telling Reuters, “American wins when our technology sets the global standard.” The spokesperson added that China is home to one of the world’s largest software developer communities and argued that ensuring AI software runs best on American technology would encourage other nations to adopt US systems.

The letter comes just weeks after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang publicly praised President Donald Trump’s decision to ease certain AI chip export controls, calling prior restrictions a failure. Speaking at the Computex trade show in Taipei in May, Huang framed the partial rollback as a win for American competitiveness. But Reuters notes that even after those relaxations, US restrictions imposed in April on AI chips Nvidia designed to comply with earlier controls will still cut an estimated $15 billion from Nvidia’s revenue.

A high-stakes balancing act

Nvidia, the world’s most valuable chip company, has found itself at the centre of geopolitical tensions as the US tightens technology exports to China. Washington sees advanced AI hardware as a critical frontier, with bipartisan agreement that it must prevent China’s military from gaining access to cutting-edge systems.

Reuters reported last month that a senior US official accused Chinese AI firm DeepSeek of supporting Beijing’s military and intelligence agencies while trying to dodge export controls through shell companies. Meanwhile, Nvidia has been working on launching a cheaper, export-compliant version of its flagship Blackwell AI chips for the Chinese market, according to Reuters reporting in May.

Why it matters?

The exchange between US lawmakers and Nvidia underscores the difficult balance American tech giants face. China is a vast market, but one increasingly off-limits for sensitive technologies under US national security policy. As the Biden administration continues Trump-era restrictions while refining them, companies like Nvidia must navigate a complex web of regulations, commercial interests, and geopolitical rivalries.

For now, Huang’s trip to China has triggered a clear political warning from Washington: avoid any engagement that might undermine the hardening wall of US export controls.