China has accused the United States of using unsubstantiated espionage allegations to justify efforts to restrict its technological development, following claims linking Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang to an alleged Chinese intelligence operation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the accusation on Thursday during a regular press briefing in Beijing, rejecting reports surrounding the alleged espionage plot.
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She urged Washington to stop using what she described as fabricated spying narratives to impose restrictions on China’s technology industry.
China’s technological progress is driven by independent innovation and open cooperation.
The US side should stop fabricating such ‘spy’ narratives as a pretext for imposing a technological blockade,” Mao said.
The diplomatic dispute follows reports that Huang, who co-founded Nvidia and leads the world’s leading supplier of artificial intelligence chips, was allegedly targeted in a Chinese espionage operation.
Reports have linked the controversy to Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, who US officials reportedly believe had connections to Chinese intelligence.
The Nvidia chief has also reportedly acknowledged having an extramarital affair with her.
However, China has dismissed the espionage allegations involving Huang as groundless speculation and an attempt to discredit the country.
The controversy comes amid longstanding tensions between Washington and Beijing over access to advanced semiconductor technology, particularly chips used to develop artificial intelligence systems.
Huang has spent years lobbying against restrictions on the sale of advanced Nvidia chips to China, arguing against measures that could limit the company’s access to the market.
US President Donald Trump approved the export of Nvidia’s H200 chips to China last year, despite objections from lawmakers in both major political parties who warned that Beijing could gain an advantage in the global artificial intelligence race.
The latest exchange of accusations comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in Shenzhen, southern China, next week.
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The meeting is expected to take place against the backdrop of continuing disagreements over trade, technology and national security.
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
