On April 17, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visited Beijing, calling China a “very important market” for the company. His comments come right after the U.S. imposed restrictions on Nvidia’s H20 AI chips, which are currently the only AI chips the company can legally sell to China.

During a meeting with Ren Hongbin, head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Huang said,

“We hope to continue to cooperate with China,” according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

China Signals Openness to U.S. Tech Firms

Chinese leaders showed strong interest in keeping doors open for American businesses. Vice Premier He Lifeng, who met Huang at the Great Hall of the People, said China welcomes companies like Nvidia to explore new opportunities. He added that China has always been “fertile ground” for investment and trade by foreign enterprises, as quoted by Xinhua.

Huang’s trip took place at the invitation of the Chinese trade organization and comes at a time of rising tech tensions between the U.S. and China. New U.S. rules now block shipments of Nvidia’s H20 chips, raising questions about how the company will operate in this key market.

In a brief statement, an Nvidia spokesperson said,

“We regularly meet with government leaders to discuss our company’s products and technology,”

but didn’t share further details about Huang’s visit plans.

Behind the Scenes: Why Nvidia’s China Visit Matters

China’s AI Market is Massive

China is the world’s second-largest AI market and is expected to grow to $150 billion by 2030. For Nvidia, this means huge business potential, even with current restrictions.

Why Did the U.S. Ban These Chips?

The U.S. government banned sales of certain high-end AI chips to China in late 2023. The goal was to stop these technologies from being used for military or surveillance purposes in China.

Nvidia’s Workaround Strategy

To stay in the Chinese market, Nvidia created a lower-spec version of its advanced chips like the H20. These chips are legal to sell under current rules but still strong enough for many AI needs.