Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to visit China to push re-entry into AI chip market

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is reportedly planning for high stakes visit to China in late January as the trip comes at a crucial point in opening a critical market for the company’s artificial intelligence chips.

Primarily, it is expected that Huang will attend company events ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays in February and may also visit Beijing in line with the ongoing reports, but it is unclear whether he will meet with senior Chinese officials.

The recent China-which visit comes at a point when Huang regularly visits occurs at a pivotal moment for the world’s most valuable company.

The US is loosening trade barriers on AI processors, prompting Nvidia to sell its H200 model in the Asian nation. However, Chinese government officials are currently deciding exactly how many of the chips to let in.

According to Reuters, the significant move comes following the Trump administration’s formal approval last week of Nvidia’s H200 chip sales to China. The decision aims to pave the way for shipments despite concerns from China hawks in Washington.

China, the largest market for semiconductors, is planning to expand its homegrown chip industry to reduce its reliance on US products. At present, the local producers cannot match the capabilities of Nvidia’s processors, which are essential for developing and running AI models.

It is observed that H200 is a generation behind the Nvidia chips available in the US, yet it is still regarded as more powerful than Chinese offerings.

Huang managed to secure meetings with Vice Premier He Lifeng and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao during a China trip in July.

Additionally, he spent the January 2025 Lunar New Year with his Chinese staff, notably opting to skip US President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Nonetheless, this upcoming visit marks a pivotal step in reclaiming market dominance amidst a shifting regulatory landscape between Washington and Beijing.