China denied Monday it tried to enlist Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as a spy, calling the allegation baseless and a coordinated smear. The foreign intelligence claim is unfounded, a smear against Beijing.
China Denies Spy Plot Targeting Nvidia CEO
Huang apologized to his wife and Nvidia, admitting to a personal affair with a business executive while declining to name her. He issued the statement in an open letter posted on the company website.
Nvidia said Sunday it is launching an independent probe into reports that Huang became the focus of a foreign intelligence operation. The review will determine whether any security breach occurred.
U.S. intelligence determined the woman involved was gathering information for Beijing, according to The New York Times. The determination was made after a classified assessment.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected the spy claim at a routine briefing, saying the allegation is false and an attack on China. He reiterated Beijing’s denial of any espionage activity.
Beijing dismissed the New York Times story that Huang pursued a close relationship with Alice Huang, a former executive of Singapore data‑center firm Megaspeed International, which faced allegations of illicitly shipping advanced Nvidia chips into China. The report suggested the relationship was used to facilitate covert chip transfers.
Nvidia shares dropped roughly 5% in pre‑market trading early Monday.
Megaspeed, whose website promotes a partnership with Nvidia, did not respond to inquiries as many Singapore offices were closed for a holiday. The Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs also declined to comment.
Nvidia, ranked among the world’s most valuable public companies with Apple and Microsoft, has seen its China chip sales constrained by U.S. export controls. Regulatory filings show only modest shipments to China in August.
Huang has lobbied Washington to relax restrictions, securing approval this year to sell H200 chips while earlier seeking permission for H20 models that comply with export rules. The H200 chips, though not the most cutting‑edge, remain advanced.
Chinese state media highlighted Huang’s admission and echoed the government line, saying the New York Times report seeks to destabilize U.S.-China relations. Some outlets warned the story is part of a broader effort to sow discord.
George Chen, partner at The Asia Group, told reporters that evidence—not speculation—is needed to determine whether Huang knew of any espionage or if sensitive data was compromised. He emphasized that conclusions must be grounded in verified facts.
Global Times warned that any attempt to use the episode to sour relations is a shadowy tactic. The state‑run newspaper said such moves are common when bilateral ties improve.
