Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Visits TSMC Amid US-China Chip Trade Strains
Huang’s visit comes as Nvidia faces heightened scrutiny around its advanced chips. Asked about a new chip reportedly in development, Huang confirmed that discussions were ongoing with US authorities
Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang arrived in Taipei on Friday to meet executives at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), signalling the chip giant’s ongoing efforts to navigate escalating US-China tensions over artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. Huang, who landed at Taipei’s Songshan airport in a private jet, told reporters his “main purpose” was to visit TSMC.
He added that the trip would be short, with plans to depart after dinner with TSMC leaders. Local media carried his comments via a live feed from the airport. TSMC has not issued any statement on the meeting so far, reported Reuters.
Talks with Washington Over New Chip for China
Huang’s visit comes as Nvidia faces heightened scrutiny around its advanced chips. Asked about a new product reportedly in development, Huang confirmed that discussions were ongoing with US authorities.
Reuters recently reported that Nvidia is working on a next-generation chip, tentatively named B30A, based on its latest Blackwell architecture. This model would surpass the performance of the current H20, a chip designed specifically for China after export curbs were imposed in 2023.
“It’s up to, of course, the US government, and we are in dialogue with them, but it is too soon to know,” Huang said, noting that any decision on sales to China would rest with Washington.
H20 Sales Resume, But Challenges Persist
Nvidia only secured approval in July to resume sales of the H20 in China. However, this came after an abrupt halt in April, when the company was ordered to stop shipments despite the chip being tailored to comply with export controls.
Following the greenlight, Nvidia placed significant orders—around 300,000 H20 units—with TSMC, according to Reuters. Yet, soon after, China’s cyberspace regulator raised security concerns, warning local firms about potential risks. Nvidia has consistently maintained that its chips do not contain backdoors.
Production Pause and Supply Chain Adjustments
Reports indicate that Nvidia has now asked Foxconn to halt work related to the H20 chip. Similar instructions were given to US-based Amkor Technology, which handles advanced packaging, and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics, a key supplier of high-bandwidth memory for the model. None of the companies responded immediately to requests for comment.
An Nvidia spokesperson said, “We constantly manage our supply chain to address market conditions,” adding that the H20 is “not a military product or for government infrastructure”.
Huang reiterated that shipping the H20 to China was not a national security issue and expressed appreciation for the continued ability to do so. Earlier this month, the Trump administration agreed on a deal requiring Nvidia and AMD to share 15 per cent of revenue from some advanced chip sales to China.
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