Three Republican House committee chairmen have asked Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Jensen Huang to appear for a closed-door briefing over his reported contacts with a businesswoman suspected of spying for China.
A recent New York Times report stated that US intelligence officials concluded that businesswoman Alice Huang, who had cultivated a close relationship with the Nvidia chief, was passing information to the Chinese government.
Huang asked to appear on Nov 18
Reps. Brian Mast of Florida, John Moolenaar of Michigan and Rick Crawford of Arkansas sent a letter dated Nov. 4 requesting that Huang brief their panels jointly on Nov. 18.
The lawmakers chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
They cited recent news reports raising “significant national security concerns regarding the PRC’s access to sensitive U.S. technology and information.”
The letter asks Huang to discuss Nvidia’s security protocols against foreign adversary espionage and his interactions with Alice Huang, a senior executive at Singapore-based data-center firm Megaspeed International.
However, the letter does not name a specific report.
Huang has been asked to accept the date or propose an alternative by Nov. 11.
The committees said Chinese infiltration and access to cutting-edge American technology remain core investigative priorities this Congress.
What are the allegations?
The New York Times reported last month that Alice Huang, a senior executive at Singapore-based data-center firm Megaspeed International, has been identified as a Chinese agent by the US intelligence.
The newspaper also said President Donald Trump was briefed on the matter but took no action.
Subsequent reporting revealed that officials in Taiwan and Singapore also shared concerns that she may have provided sensitive details related to Nvidia chips.
Singapore has denied sharing any such information.
The allegations come as Washington continues to tighten controls on high-end semiconductors that power artificial intelligence systems.
Nvidia recently even told its data center partners to reduce their exposure to Chinese customers, according to Financial Times.
As per the report, the chipmaking giant wants its data center clients to ensure that at least 51% of their services are sold to non-Chinese companies.
Nvidia maintains stance
Nvidia continues to say that Huang’s interactions with the suspected Chinese agent were usual business meetings, typical for a chief executive dealing with customers.
Nvidia expressed confidence that US authorities would notify it if they viewed any individual as a threat to American industry.
“We’re confident that if the US government believes that any person is a threat to American industry, it would let us know,” Nvidia has said.
The Chinese government previously dismissed the spying allegations as “groundless speculation.” Beijing has consistently rejected claims that it targets US technology firms through intelligence operations.
AI disclosure: AI tools assisted with research and drafting of this piece. An Invezz editor reviewed the facts, sources and wording before publication. Any opinions or analysis are Invezz’s, not those of an automated system.
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