US officials reportedly believe Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang had a romantic relationship with Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based chip customer Megaspeed, whom US intelligence believes China’s Ministry of State Security recruited as a spy. A memo based on American intelligence was circulated to a small group of senior officials shortly before President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing. The White House and CIA declined to comment; Nvidia did not address the memo or the alleged relationship, saying it meets thousands of customer executives each year. Alice Huang could not be reached for comment. Photos and videos of the two have circulated online.
The allegations add to scrutiny of Megaspeed, which US authorities have investigated over suspected smuggling of advanced Nvidia chips into China, contrary to export controls. Nvidia’s own probe found no evidence of wrongdoing. The episode comes amid growing US concern that China could acquire chips that strengthen its AI capabilities and military, and after Republican lawmakers sought a private briefing from Huang on reports that he was targeted in a Chinese intelligence operation and on Nvidia’s security safeguards. Officials have also privately been frustrated by Huang’s lobbying for permission to sell the H200 chip in China. His access to Trump has included several meetings and attendance at a state dinner for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, though Huang was not initially included on Trump’s May flight to China and joined the presidential plane during a stop in Alaska.
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