China Accuses US of Using Espionage Claims to Restrict Its Technology Sector
China has accused the United States of using what it described as unfounded espionage allegations as an excuse to restrict its technological development, following reports linking Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang to an alleged Chinese intelligence operation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the accusation on Thursday during a regular press briefing, rejecting claims surrounding Huang and describing them as part of an attempt to undermine China’s technological progress.
“China’s technological progress is driven by independent innovation and open cooperation. The US side should stop fabricating such ‘spy’ narratives as a pretext for imposing a technological blockade,” Mao said.
The controversy follows allegations that Alice Huang, reportedly a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, was suspected by US officials of having links to Chinese intelligence. Reports also claimed that she had an extramarital relationship with Jensen Huang, although the circumstances and relevance of the alleged relationship to the espionage claims remain unclear.
Jensen Huang co-founded Nvidia, which has become a leading global supplier of advanced chips used in artificial intelligence development. He has also spent years advocating against restrictions on the sale of advanced semiconductor technology to China.
The dispute comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Beijing over access to advanced computing technology and the strategic importance of artificial intelligence.
US President Donald Trump last year approved the export of Nvidia’s H200 chips to China, despite objections from lawmakers concerned that access to advanced processors could strengthen Beijing’s position in the global artificial intelligence race.
China has dismissed the espionage allegations involving Huang as “groundless speculation” and an attempt to smear the country.
The latest exchange comes ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering in Shenzhen, southern China, next week.