China has accused the United States of inventing espionage stories and using them as a justification for a technology blockade. The accusation came as national security concerns emerged over an affair involving Nvidia’s chief executive, Jensen Huang. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a press briefing on Thursday.
Responding to claims that the woman linked to Huang was a Chinese spy, Mao said China’s scientific and technological progress is powered by independent innovation and open cooperation. She added that Beijing was ready to work with Washington to put into practice a consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders.
Mao also referred to the understanding between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The two leaders agreed to ease tariffs and lift tech restrictions to calm tensions after rounds of retaliatory duties, as part of a trade deal in Busan, South Korea.
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Allegations linked to Alice Huang and Megaspeed
Huang has admitted to having an extramarital affair. The woman was reported to be Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, whom US officials believe worked for Chinese intelligence.
Megaspeed said on Thursday that it takes its obligations under US export control laws “extremely seriously”. It added that it is committed to working constructively and transparently with the US government.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the claims, describing them as “entirely groundless, speculative and intended to smear and malign China.”
Trade talks and Huang’s future at Nvidia
The remarks came ahead of a meeting next week between Trump and Xi at the APEC gathering in Shenzhen, southern China. Huang, 63, co-founded Nvidia and built it into the world’s leading supplier of chips that power artificial intelligence. He has spent years lobbying against curbs on advanced chip sales to China.
Last year Trump cleared Nvidia’s H200 chips for export to China, despite objections from both Republicans and Democrats who fear Chinese dominance in AI. Huang’s position at the top of the $4.2 trillion company is uncertain after Nvidia launched an investigation into him on Sunday. It is unclear whether the firm has a succession plan.
