President Donald Trump likely will not raise allegations of a Chinese intelligence operation involving former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping, senior US officials said Friday.
The discussion comes as controversy over Huang’s reported association with Alice Huang threatens high-stakes diplomacy. US officials suspect Alice Huang has links to Chinese intelligence.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen is scheduled for November 18-19. The situation may complicate talks at the event.
“I don’t expect the president to raise it — the Alice Huang issue,” a second US official told Indiatimes.
The scandal has affected Nvidia. But officials suggest the summit will focus on economic matters and trade implementation. National security investigations are also underway in the United States.
One White House official spoke on the condition of anonymity. He said the administration does not negotiate American export controls in talks with China. He does not expect the matter to figure into conversations during the visit.
Jensen Huang stepped down as Nvidia’s CEO on Thursday, local time. This followed reports regarding his alleged relationship with Alice Huang.
Officials raised concerns about the relationship. They said it may have allowed a Singapore-based company to divert restricted chips to China.
Nvidia’s board acted after a second alleged affair surfaced, The Times of India said.
The Chinese government called the claims involving Alice Huang baseless. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the accusations are “smears against China,” Republic World.
“The so-called Chinese spy allegation is unsubstantiated. It is nothing but smears against China,” Guo Jiakun said.
Guo Jiakun declined to confirm Alice Huang’s citizenship or location, Republic World said.
The US delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will include several high-profile business leaders despite the turmoil at Nvidia.
Trump plans to participate in a three-way summit at the event involving Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, CNBC said earlier Friday.
Nvidia’s advanced AI chips are central to the global race to develop powerful AI systems. They are a primary point of contention between Washington and Beijing.
Huang had previously urged the US to ease restrictions on chip sales to China. Trump approved exports, but shipments remained limited. This happened because Chinese authorities were slow to provide import clearances. They did this reportedly to help the growth of domestic manufacturers.
The scandal also concerns the Commerce Department. People wonder if the department, led by Howard Lutnick, has been aggressive enough in blocking advanced chips from reaching China.
Trump was noncommittal about addressing the issue with Xi. “No, I don’t think so. I mean, maybe. I’m sure President XI will ask me about it. I just know Jensen very well. I just think he’s a very honorable man,” mint reported.
Will the Alice Huang allegations affect the summit talks between Trump and Xi?
Earlier coverage: Nvidia Board Launches Probe Into Jensen Huang's Relationship With Suspected Spy