Who is blocking Huang Renxun? The intense internal struggle within the White House behind Huang Renxun's "last-minute boarding"! China is no longer afraid of being "strangled by the throat," and domestic chips are beginning to make a comeback.

On May 13, NVIDIA CEO Huang Renxun hastily boarded Air Force One, President Trump’s aircraft, at Anchorage Airport in Alaska, staging a dramatic last-minute twist. Previously, the White House had released a list of the delegation for the visit to China, where this global AI chip leader was unexpectedly absent, sparking widespread public outcry. From being excluded to making a "last-minute entry," this incident is not merely a personal scheduling change for Huang Renxun—it reflects the intricate interplay of Sino-U.S. technological rivalry, internal White House conflicts, and commercial realities.

Was Huang Renxun deliberately omitted from the initial White House list? His initial absence was no accident. The original White House delegation list focused on low-sensitivity sectors such as agriculture and aviation, citing that cooperation in these areas could quickly yield results. However, the chip issue remains deeply entangled in the broader Sino-U.S. technological competition. This explanation, however, fails to hold up—other semiconductor companies like Qualcomm and Micron had their CEOs included, yet NVIDIA was conspicuously left out. Behind this lies an internal strategic calculation within the White House:

1. Avoiding sensitive topics disrupting core agendas. Chip controls involve national security and technological competition; if Huang Renxun were to travel with high visibility, it might shift public attention toward debates over whether the U.S. and China are decoupling technologically, undermining Trump’s pragmatic goals in agriculture and aviation.

2. Balancing demands from hawkish voices on China. The delegation includes hardliners such as Senator Rubio, indicating the White House seeks to balance commercial cooperation with ideological confrontation. Excluding Huang Renxun initially can be seen as sending a signal to hawks about maintaining a tough stance on Chinese technology.

3. Real-world challenges facing NVIDIA’s business in China. In recent years, the U.S. government has continuously tightened export controls on AI chips to China. NVIDIA’s chips specifically designed for the Chinese market—such as the H20 and H200—may have failed to gain traction due to performance limitations or disagreements over procurement terms. The White House may have concluded that Huang Renxun’s presence would not lead to immediate orders, thus highlighting the contradictions in U.S. regulatory policy.

Then why did Trump extend the “last-minute invitation”? Trump’s phone call to Huang Renxun on the day the delegation departed—and his invitation for him to join—is far from impulsive; it stems from multiple driving factors.

First, pressure from public opinion and image repair. Reports of Huang Renxun’s surprise exclusion drew significant attention across the U.S. and globally. If Trump persisted in excluding this tech titan, he risked being perceived as taking a negative stance toward Sino-U.S. technological collaboration, potentially undermining confidence in the U.S. stock market. The last-minute invitation helps soften the perception of a growing tech decoupling.

Second, NVIDIA’s political leverage. Huang Renxun is a key supporter of Trump’s “re-industrialization” policy, having pledged investments of tens of billions of dollars in the U.S., and even assisted struggling Intel in crisis moments. Trump needs to reciprocate this business ally while also using NVIDIA as a “technological bargaining chip” in negotiations with China, testing Beijing’s red lines on chip-related issues.

Third, preserving room for future maneuvering. Bringing Huang Renxun along at the last minute allows the U.S. to demonstrate the possibility of technological cooperation to China, while retaining flexibility on future AI chip control policies. If China shows interest in purchasing, the U.S. can use this as leverage to ease export restrictions; if talks fail, the blame can be shifted onto China for lacking sincerity.

China’s position on U.S. chip controls is clear and increasingly firm. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly condemned the U.S. for abusing export controls, calling them “a serious disruption to the stability of the global supply chain,” and has vowed countermeasures. More importantly, China’s reliance on American chips is significantly declining.

Domestic alternatives are accelerating. Indigenous chips such as Huawei’s Ascend are already powering China’s domestic AI ecosystem—large models like DeepSeek V4 can now run stably on homegrown hardware. By 2025, the domestic share of China’s AI accelerator market has surpassed 40% for the first time, with Huawei Ascend leading in shipment volume.

The market landscape is shifting. The lukewarm reception of NVIDIA’s H20 chips in China reflects rising trust in domestic technology. Chips previously forced to operate at reduced specifications are losing competitiveness, and China increasingly favors long-term investment in self-reliant, secure technological systems.

Global strategy is evolving. China is expanding chip cooperation with developing countries through platforms like the Belt and Road Initiative, reducing dependence on U.S. technology. Ironically, U.S. export controls are helping China build a “parallel technological ecosystem,” giving it a scale advantage in mature-node chip manufacturing.

Huang Renxun’s “last-minute boarding” reveals the complex reality of Sino-U.S. relations. On one hand, the U.S. continues to waver between technological containment and commercial interests, exposing policy contradictions. On the other hand, China is gradually eroding U.S. leverage through innovation and market resilience. While chips remain symbolic of strategic high ground, the focus of the contest has shifted from “absolute control” toward “dynamic equilibrium.” In the future, if the U.S. persists in zero-sum thinking to suppress Chinese technology, its effectiveness will diminish rapidly.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865075625154628/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.