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China calls Nvidia spy allegation a smear; ministry declines to comment on 600,000 chips
China's Foreign Ministry said on 9 November that the Chinese spy allegation linked to Nvidia's chief executive is unsubstantiated and a smear. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun gave one-line answers on a reported 600,000 Nvidia chips in Hong Kong and on US curbs. Nvidia's board has opened an inquiry.
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China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday, 9 November 2026, that the allegation that a Chinese spy was involved in the affair of Nvidia's chief executive is unsubstantiated and aimed at smearing China. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun gave the answer at the ministry's regular press conference, in reply to a question about the independent investigation that Nvidia's board announced on 8 November. In the same session he gave short answers on a reported stock of 600,000 Nvidia chips in Hong Kong, on tighter American export curbs, and on a possible meeting of the American, Russian and Chinese presidents. It was the second time in ten days that the ministry rejected the allegation.
This article is based on the ministry's own transcripts and on Nvidia's statements. It is for information and is not investment advice.
What the ministry said on 9 November
A reporter asked for China's comment after Nvidia's board opened an independent investigation in light of reports that its chief executive, Jensen Huang, had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. Mr Guo replied: "We responded to that last week. The 'Chinese spy' allegation is purely unsubstantiated and directed at smearing China."
The ministry first responded on 30 October, when a reporter asked about a newspaper report that American intelligence agencies had found a Chinese businesswoman close to Mr Huang was passing information to Beijing. Mr Guo's answer then was that the report was "unsubstantiated" and "nothing but smears against China". The two answers are almost the same in substance. Neither contains a denial of any specific fact, such as whether the woman exists or what her relationship with Mr Huang was, and the ministry has not responded to those points.
What Nvidia has said, and what it has not
Nvidia's board said on 8 November that it was starting an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that its founder and chief executive had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee it. The board said it has no reason to believe that national security or the company's secrets were compromised, that Mr Huang supports the review and will cooperate, and that it has confidence in him. In a message to employees the same day, Mr Huang apologised to his family and colleagues for personal conduct and said he takes full responsibility.
Nvidia's 2026 proxy statement describes a board of 10 directors, nine of them independent under Nasdaq rules and Mr Huang the only one who is not, with an independent lead director, Stephen Neal, in place of a chairperson. The committee that handles nominations and governance, which he chairs, lists trade compliance and regulatory matters among its areas of oversight. The statements leave open how long the investigation will run and whether its findings will be made public. Nvidia has not named the committee members or the counsel, and it has not described the foreign intelligence effort. Its next fixed public event is a call on Tuesday, 17 November, at 2 pm Pacific time to discuss results for the third quarter of fiscal 2027.
Chips, Congress and a meeting of three presidents
The other questions at the briefing were about policy, and Mr Guo's answers were short.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| A news agency report that about 600,000 advanced Nvidia chips are stored in Hong Kong awaiting shipment to the mainland | "China's position on the US export of chips to China is consistent"; for details, ask the competent authorities |
| How China would respond if Washington tightened curbs on chips, citing Democratic gains in Congress | The same sentence, and the same referral |
| President Trump's remark that he would likely meet the Russian and Chinese presidents in Shenzhen next week to discuss ending the Iran war and denuclearisation | China "maintains communication with the relevant parties on the meeting between the three presidents"; he had "no information to offer at the moment" |
The ministry did not confirm the meeting, its venue or its date, and the transcript does not call it a meeting between the American and Chinese presidents alone. It also gave no figure for chips in Hong Kong and did not dispute the report.
The chip question has a long history for the company. Nvidia's 2026 proxy statement says additional export controls on its H20 products in the first half of fiscal 2026 caused the goals in its stretch compensation plan to be adjusted downward automatically. Restrictions on what American chips can be sold into China are a standing issue for the company, and the ministry's repeated answer, that its position is consistent, is the same one it gives each time the subject comes up. The questions at the briefing also show how the personal affair and the chip policy have become linked in public discussion, though the board's statement concerns only the former and the ministry's answers keep the two apart.
Sources
About the Author
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Amita Sahani
Staff Writer
Amita Sahani writes for Wirony. Every story under this byline is reviewed and approved by an editor before it is published, and corrections are made openly.
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