Trump brings Nvidia chief to China in bid to "open up" trade

Donald Trump has taken Jensen Huang on a high-profile visit to China, where he is expected to press Xi Jinping to ease market restrictions and expand access for US firms, including advanced semiconductor exports, according to officials and company sources.

Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a two-day summit, marking the first visit by a US president to China in nearly a decade.

The trip includes a state reception at the Great Hall of the People, a visit to the Temple of Heaven and a state banquet, alongside talks focused on trade, technology controls and geopolitical flashpoints, including Iran and Taiwan.

The delegation includes senior business executives, with Nvidia’s participation drawing particular attention as the company seeks approval to sell its high-performance AI chips in China, Reuters reports.

Trump added Huang to the group at the last minute, a source familiar with the matter said.

“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to 'open up' China so that these brilliant people can work their magic,” he said in post on Truth Social, referring to the CEO delegation. “I will make ⁠that my very first request.”

Beijing signalled openness to dialogue but avoided committing to concessions. Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, said Beijing stands ready to "expand cooperation, manage differences and inject more stability and certainty into the turbulent world".

While Trump and senior aides have highlighted potential economic gains, negotiations remain complicated by unresolved trade frictions. The talks follow earlier discussions in South Korea between US trade envoy Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, which both sides described as "candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges", according to Xinhua.

The two sides are seeking to preserve a fragile trade truce reached last year, under which Washington suspended steep tariffs on Chinese goods while Beijing eased restrictions on rare earth exports.

China, for its part, continues to press for relief on US export controls on advanced semiconductors and chipmaking equipment, while Washington is seeking increased access for agriculture, energy and aircraft sales.

“The Trump administration needs this meeting more than China does, as it needs to show to American voters that deals are signed, money is made," said Liu Qian, founder and CEO of Wusawa Advisory.

Public reaction in Beijing was cautious. “I don't know if he's genuinely sincere," Lou Huilian, a 44-year-old who works in the oil trade said outside a metro station as she headed to work on Wednesday.

"But speaking as a Chinese person, and as someone working in trade, I just hope some good policies can come out of this."

By Aghakazim Guliyev