Trump taps Nvidia’s Jensen Huang for China summit after initial omission from US delegation – Firstpost

US President Donald Trump made a last-minute move to bring Jensen Huang into his China delegation, underscoring how the battle over AI chips and export controls has become central to Washington’s negotiations with Beijing as Trump prepares for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, CNBC reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, Huang
was not initially expected to join Trump’s visit to China, prompting media scrutiny over the absence of the chief executive of Nvidia — the world’s most influential AI chipmaker — from a delegation packed with top American business leaders.

Following the coverage, Trump personally called Huang and invited him to join the trip, CNBC reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. Huang then reportedly flew to Alaska to board Air Force One en route to China.

Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday and Friday as the two sides attempt to stabilise ties strained by tariffs, export controls, AI competition and geopolitical tensions across the Indo-Pacific and West Asia.

“Jensen is attending the summit at the invitation of President Trump to support America and the administration’s goals,” an Nvidia spokesperson told CNBC. The company repeated the same statement when asked about Huang joining the trip mid-journey but did not elaborate on why the executive had initially been absent from the delegation.

Earlier this week, Reuters had reported that Trump’s China delegation would include some of America’s most influential corporate leaders, among them Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Kelly Ortberg, alongside executives from companies including BlackRock, Blackstone, Micron Technology, Qualcomm and Visa.

Melania skips Beijing as Trump packs delegation

The White House confirmed that First Lady Melania Trump will not accompany US President Donald Trump on the China visit, with the travelling delegation instead dominated by cabinet officials, national security aides and trade negotiators as Washington prepares for high-stakes talks with Beijing.

Among the senior-most officials on board are Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. Rubio’s visit is particularly notable as he becomes the first sanctioned US secretary of state to travel to China, while Hegseth is set to become the first Pentagon chief to accompany a sitting US president to Beijing since former President Richard Nixon’s landmark 1972 trip.

Trump’s broader policy and security team includes Stephen Miller, Michael Kratsios, James Blair and Robert Gabriel.

Trade and diplomatic outreach will be handled by officials including Jamieson Greer and Monica Crowley, while White House operations and messaging are being overseen by Beau Harrison and Steven Cheung.

The passenger list also includes members of Trump’s political and family circle, including Eric Trump and Lara Trump, alongside senior aide Ross Worthington and longtime Trump aide Walt Nauta.

Trade, rare earths and Boeing deals on agenda

The summit is expected to centre on trade ties, investment cooperation and rare earth mineral supplies as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilise relations after years of tariff disputes and technology restrictions.

According to Reuters, the two sides are also expected to discuss extending a fragile arrangement that has allowed rare earth exports from China to continue flowing into the United States despite broader geopolitical tensions.

Aviation is also expected to feature prominently in the talks. Reuters reported that discussions have included a possible Chinese order for around 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft along with dozens of widebody jets powered by GE engines. If finalised, it would mark China’s first major Boeing purchase since 2017 and potentially one of the largest aircraft deals in aviation history.

Huang’s late inclusion now signals that semiconductors and AI policy may have become harder to sideline from the broader US-China agenda.

Nvidia at centre of AI and export-control tensions

Nvidia’s advanced AI chips remain at the heart of Washington’s export-control battle with Beijing. Over the past four years, the United States has tightened restrictions on high-end semiconductor sales to China, arguing that the technology could strengthen China’s military and strategic capabilities.

In February, Nvidia said even some government-approved versions of its AI chips had yet to receive clearance for sale into the Chinese market.

Trump’s administration had earlier approved exports of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to China, though US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later said Chinese companies were still facing regulatory hurdles in obtaining approvals to purchase them.

US CEOs joining Trump’s China summit

Key focus areas: Trade ties, AI and semiconductor policy, rare earth exports, agriculture, and a possible Boeing aircraft mega-deal.