China on Friday warned the United States against imposing further semiconductor export restrictions following the scandal surrounding AI chipmaker Nvidia and allegations of technology transfers to China.
“China has consistently opposed the abuse of export control measures, which disrupts the stability of global industrial and supply chains and serves no party's interests,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.
Her remarks came in response to calls from US lawmakers for additional restrictions on exports of chipmaking equipment to China.
“China and the United States should work together to implement the important consensus reached by their respective heads of state and maintain the stable development of China-US economic and trade relations,” Mao added.
Nvidia scandal fuels calls for tighter controls
Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang, who resigned on Thursday, has acknowledged having an affair, reportedly with Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed.
Reports allege that the US Commerce Department, under Secretary Howard Lutnick, may have failed to act on suspicions that Megaspeed was helping divert restricted Nvidia technology to China.
US media quoted lawmakers as supporting additional export controls as the controversy widened.
“The export controls on chips to China have been a big issue around here. I'm in favour of limiting those exports,” House Speaker Mike Johnson was quoted as saying.
“I think there is a developing consensus in Congress that is an important position to take.”
US intelligence reportedly circulated a memo this spring alleging that Alice Huang, who is not related to Jensen Huang, was an asset of China's Ministry of State Security.
Beijing rejects espionage allegations
Beijing has rejected the allegations, describing them on Thursday as a pretext for imposing a technological blockade aimed at preventing China's advances in artificial intelligence.
The controversy comes ahead of an expected meeting next week between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen, southern China, during an APEC gathering.
