Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, is set to join the advisory board of Tsinghua University, which is chaired by Apple CEO Tim Cook. Huang is intensifying efforts to penetrate the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chip market through this advisory role.
The Financial Times reported on May 28, citing multiple sources, that Huang accepted an invitation to join the advisory board of Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management (SEM) after accompanying President Donald Trump on his recent visit to China.
Located in Beijing, Tsinghua University is one of China's top science and engineering institutions, and it counts Chinese President Xi Jinping among its alumni. The SEM advisory board aims to strengthen the international network of the business school and support long-term strategic planning.
In addition to Cook, the advisory board includes prominent figures from the U.S. tech industry such as Elon Musk, Michael Dell, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta. Financial leaders like Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, and Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup, are also members. From China, notable participants include Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, Pony Ma, chairman of Tencent, and Li Yanhong, CEO of Baidu.
The FT noted that Huang's participation comes as NVIDIA faces ongoing restrictions on semiconductor exports to China, highlighting his efforts to maintain connections with Chinese academia and industry.
Since April of last year, NVIDIA has faced significant limitations in the Chinese market. At that time, the Trump administration banned the export of NVIDIA's AI chip H20, developed for China, in accordance with existing export regulations. Earlier this year, limited sales of the more advanced H200 chip to select Chinese customers were approved, but the Chinese government imposed import restrictions to protect its domestic semiconductor industry.
In a recent interview with CNBC, Huang stated that U.S. export controls have effectively ceded the Chinese market to local competitors like Huawei. He noted that China once accounted for over 20% of NVIDIA's global revenue but cautioned against expecting any short-term approvals for advanced chip sales, saying, "Don't expect anything."
However, Huang reaffirmed his commitment to returning to the Chinese market, stating, "We would be very happy to serve that market. There are many customers and partners there, and we have been there for 30 years."
The SEM advisory board was established in 2000 by former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji. It is considered a rare high-level exchange channel for leaders from both the U.S. and China to meet amid escalating technological and economic tensions. Advisory board members typically hold annual meetings in Beijing, serving as a behind-the-scenes communication channel between Chinese policymakers and global business leaders.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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