"An Invented Espionage Narrative": China Breaks Silence in Nvidia CEO Case

China's Foreign Ministry rejects U.S. allegations that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was exploited by a Chinese intelligence agent. Spokesperson Mao Ning accused the U.S. of fabricating an "espionage narrative" to justify chip restrictions, and referenced the upcoming summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.

China on Thursday dismissed U.S. reports that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was the target of a Chinese espionage operation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied the allegations and claimed that the United States is fabricating an "espionage narrative" as a pretext for imposing technological restrictions on China. The remarks come amid U.S. media reports that Nvidia's board is considering ousting Huang after it was revealed he had two extramarital affairs, including with Alice Huang, a former executive at a Singaporean computing company who, according to U.S. intelligence assessments, served as an agent of Chinese intelligence. Mao clarified that China's scientific and technological progress is based on independent innovation, and criticized U.S. export controls on advanced chips. She also referenced the upcoming summit next week in Shenzhen between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, stating that the two countries are maintaining close communication ahead of the meeting.