The Journal. The Nvidia CEO’s Quest to Sell Chips in China
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Aug 18, 2025 
Lingling Wei, Chief China correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, dives into Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's ambitious journey amidst U.S.-China trade tensions. She discusses Huang's transformation from co-founder to corporate lobbyist, highlighting his strategic moves to navigate diplomatic challenges. The conversation reveals how Huang is developing chips for China while managing complex lobbying efforts in Washington. Wei also sheds light on the broader implications of U.S. export policies and the evolving landscape of tech trade tensions.
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CEO Turned Diplomat
- NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang has shifted from technologist to geopolitical player amid US-China tensions.
- His role now mixes corporate leadership with diplomatic lobbying to protect market access.
H20 Chip And The Mar-a-Lago Pitch
- Huang built the H20 chip as a lower-power variant to comply with U.S. export controls and keep selling in China.
- He lobbied Trump directly and offered a $500 billion U.S. AI investment to argue for sales to resume.
Musk Countered Huang
- Elon Musk argued any exported chip could erode U.S. technological leadership and influenced the ban decision.
- That counterargument helped persuade the Trump administration to restrict H20 sales initially.