Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang isn’t part of Trump’s China trip

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang expressed his willingness to accompany U.S. President Donald Trump on his visit to China, stating that it would be a great honor. However, Huang is not among the executives accompanying Trump to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. This absence indicates that Nvidia’s sales in China, one of its key markets, may not see a swift recovery.

In the past 18 months, Huang has made several visits to China, showcasing Nvidia’s commitment to maintaining relationships in a market that previously contributed significantly to its data center revenue. Despite these efforts, the company’s most advanced chips, crucial for AI model training, have faced stringent U.S. restrictions on sales to China over the past four years. Nvidia disclosed in February that the U.S.-approved versions of these chips were still not permitted for sale in China.

Industry experts believe that Nvidia’s sales in China are unlikely to bounce back soon. Hao Hong, chief investment officer at Lotus Asset Management, highlighted that Huang’s inclusion in Trump’s delegation would yield minimal benefits for Nvidia, as the approval of advanced Nvidia chips for China seems improbable under the current circumstances. The ongoing technology “decoupling” between the U.S. and China is expected to intensify, shaping the tech rivalry between the two nations.

During an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer, Huang emphasized the significance of letting the president make any announcements regarding the trip. He expressed his readiness to represent the United States if invited, acknowledging it as a privilege and a great honor.

As Trump gears up for his visit to Beijing for meetings with President Xi, Nvidia’s absence from the delegation underscores the challenges the company faces in the Chinese market. The visit marks the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited China in nearly a decade.

Nvidia has not provided a response to CNBC’s request for comment on the matter. The evolving dynamics of the U.S.-China tech rivalry and the implications for companies like Nvidia underscore the complexities of navigating the global geopolitical landscape.