US House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated that there is a growing consensus in Congress to limit chip exports to China. This follows the resignation of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who stepped down after reports of a romantic relationship with a businesswoman whom US authorities suspect of spying for the Chinese government.
The case has intensified calls among China critics in Washington for tougher restrictions on China's access to advanced AI chips. These chips are crucial for China's AI development and have been central to the US-China technology rivalry, with Washington previously restricting their export over national security concerns.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is set to testify before Congress on the Nvidia scandal. Lawmakers are seeking clarity on what the Donald Trump administration knew about Huang's alleged affair with a woman accused of spying for China, particularly as the Commerce Department was mandated to review companies for national security risks.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's government is investigating a subsidiary of Megaspeed International over the possible diversion of advanced AI chips to other countries. Megaspeed is under scrutiny for allegedly steering Nvidia AI chips to China despite US export rules.