US-China Trade Talks Sideline Chip Export Controls as Nvidia China Sales Draw Attention

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington and Beijing did not engage in detailed discussions about U.S. chip export controls during the latest Trump-Xi summit in China. Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Thursday, Greer clarified that semiconductor restrictions were “not a major topic” in bilateral talks between the two countries.

Greer’s comments come as investors closely monitor U.S.-China relations, Nvidia China sales, and the future of artificial intelligence chip exports. Reports from Reuters stated that NVIDIA Corporation received approval to sell its H200 AI chip, considered its second-most powerful processor, to 10 Chinese companies. However, no confirmed transactions have been completed so far.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly joined discussions during the Beijing meetings, although Greer did not provide details about the conversations. He emphasized that purchasing Nvidia chips remains China’s decision. Huang’s participation fueled market speculation that the United States could eventually ease some of its restrictions on advanced AI semiconductor exports to China.

The Biden-era and Trump-era chip export controls were designed to prevent China from accessing the most advanced artificial intelligence technology. Beijing has repeatedly criticized these restrictions and accelerated efforts to strengthen domestic AI and semiconductor development. Chinese technology firms, including AI startup DeepSeek, have increasingly relied on Huawei chips to develop next-generation AI models.

Beyond technology issues, Greer said the U.S. expects China to continue increasing purchases of American agricultural products, including soybeans. He also noted that tensions surrounding Taiwan were unlikely to interfere with ongoing trade negotiations between the world’s two largest economies.

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held meetings in Beijing on Thursday and are expected to continue talks on Friday. Trump maintained an optimistic tone regarding future U.S.-China economic cooperation. Several top American business leaders joined the visit, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, highlighting the growing importance of AI, semiconductors, and trade relations in global markets.