China rejects espionage claims involving nvidia c e o jensen huang
China rejects allegations
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected claims that Beijing used a woman as a spy, calling the allegation unsubstantiated and a smear against China. Beijing had also dismissed a New York Times report about Huang’s relationship with a Chinese citizen named Alice Huang. The Times reported that U.S. intelligence determined she was gathering information for Beijing.
Nvidia opens an investigation
Huang acknowledged being intimate with a business executive and apologized to his wife and Nvidia in an open letter on the company’s website. He did not identify the woman.
Huang pledges cooperation
In his letter, Huang said he supported the investigation and would cooperate fully. He also said he was committed to protecting Nvidia and supporting U.S. national security. The New York Times identified Alice Huang as a former executive of Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed International. The company’s website prominently promotes its partnership with Nvidia, and it faced claims last year of illicitly shipping advanced Nvidia chips into China.
Questions remain about information
Megaspeed and Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Many offices in Singapore were closed Monday for a holiday. Nvidia is among the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies, alongside Apple and Microsoft. Its chip sales to China have at times been targeted by U.S. regulators seeking to restrict Beijing’s access to the technology.
Key points
- China denied using a woman to gather information on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
- Nvidia said it is investigating reports that Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort.
- Huang apologized to his wife and Nvidia and said he would cooperate with the investigation.
- U.S. regulators have at times restricted Nvidia chip sales to China.