China denies US spy claims against Nvidia CEO as tech tensions rise

China has accused the United States of fabricating spy narratives to justify imposing a technological blockade, according to Al Jazeera and France 24. This statement came amid allegations that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an affair with a woman US intelligence suspects to be a Chinese spy.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that China's technological progress is driven by independent innovation and open cooperation, urging the US to stop using such spy claims as a pretext for restricting technology access. Mao's comments were made during a press briefing and reported by both outlets.

The woman involved in the affair is reported to be a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, which US officials believe had ties to Chinese intelligence. Megaspeed stated it takes US export control laws seriously and is committed to cooperating with the US government, as noted by Al Jazeera.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to the extramarital affair. He has been a vocal opponent of restrictions on advanced chip sales to China and successfully lobbied for the export of Nvidia's H200 chips to China despite bipartisan concerns in the US about China's potential dominance in artificial intelligence technology.

These developments come ahead of a scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, where easing tensions and trade issues are expected to be discussed.

China has dismissed the spying allegations as groundless and an attempt to smear the country, according to France 24.