Introduction

On July 21, 2025, Reuters reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made his third trip to China this year—blazing across Beijing City streets, taking selfies and signing autographs at the China International Supply Chain Expo.¹ His visit coincided with the reopening of Nvidia’s H20 chip exports to China, reigniting debate about national security and the future of AI supply chains.Reuters

“Anyone who discounts Huawei or China’s manufacturing capability is deeply naive,” Huang said during an Expo keynote, praising local tech giants and signaling Nvidia’s enduring commitment despite U.S. export tension.Reuters

Why it matters now

• Symbolic diplomacy: Huang’s public presence challenges narratives about strained US-China tech relations.
• AI chip supply tensions: Renewed H20 exports—valued at $17 billion—come with increased Congressional scrutiny over tech advantages.
• Domestic resilience: Huang’s praise for Huawei and Alibaba signals a shift toward coexistence—not confrontation—in tech collaboration.

Call-out

Nvidia’s CEO toured Beijing like a rock star—while navigating a high-wire act between US policy and China expansion.

Business implications

• Chipmakers and cloud vendors in China gain renewed access to H20 chips—but must navigate fluctuating U.S. trade policy.
  • Chinese AI firms like Tencent and DeepSeek see endorsement from Huang, but may need to build import hedges in case of fresh export restrictions.
  • U.S.-China interdependence complicates supply chain strategy—firms from Taiwan fabs to rare-earth miners face volatility linked to geopolitics.

Looking ahead

As Nvidia balances profits and policy, lawmakers in Congress are demanding clarity on H20 licensing and national security protections—sources suggest hearings or briefings by August. Reuters forecasts that shifts in U.S. policy could ripple into 2026 chip demand. An Omdia analyst noted the struggle: “Nvidia must balance commitment with compliance to ride this tide.”

The upshot: Huang’s rock-star reception in China is more than PR—it’s a strategic signal that Nvidia sees long-term opportunity there, just as U.S. policymakers weigh the risks of fueling competitors with cutting-edge AI chips.

Sources: Reuters coverage of Jensen Huang’s China visit and H20 export resumption, July 21, 2025.