U.S. President Donald Trump hints he may discuss Nvidia’s Blackwell AI chip with Chinese President Xi Jinping, spotlighting U.S.–China tech tensions ahead of their meeting.
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| Trump’s comments on Nvidia’s “super-duper” Blackwell chip highlight the delicate balance between U.S. innovation, export controls, and China’s tech ambitions. Image: CH |
SEOUL, South Korea — October 29, 2025:
U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he may raise the issue of Nvidia’s Blackwell artificial intelligence chip during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping has thrust the high-stakes technology rivalry between Washington and Beijing back into the global spotlight.
Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Gyeongju, South Korea, Trump described Nvidia’s latest AI processor as a “super-duper chip,” adding that he was “very optimistic” about the planned meeting — his first with Xi since returning to the White House. His remarks hint that AI hardware could become a bargaining point in broader U.S.–China negotiations.
At the center of the tension lies Nvidia’s Blackwell processor — a next-generation chip considered critical for advanced AI applications. Washington has barred Nvidia from selling its most powerful AI chips to China, citing national security risks and concerns that Beijing could use the technology for military purposes. Beijing has denounced the restrictions as an attempt to stifle its technological development.
In response to the export controls, Nvidia has designed a scaled-down version of the Blackwell chip tailored for the Chinese market, aiming to comply with U.S. rules while retaining a foothold in one of its largest markets. Yet, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the company has not applied for new export licenses. “They’ve made it very clear that they don’t want Nvidia to be there right now,” Huang said at a recent developer conference, emphasizing that access to China’s market remains vital to funding research and innovation in the United States.
Successive U.S. administrations have debated whether restricting advanced chips would make China more reliant on U.S. suppliers or spur its domestic innovation drive. So far, the latter appears to be taking shape: Beijing has urged local firms to invest in homegrown alternatives, though domestic products — including those from Huawei — still lag behind in performance.
Trump’s comments suggest a possible opening for dialogue — or a new round of pressure. If the U.S. president uses the Nvidia issue as leverage, it could either ease trade tensions or deepen the technological divide that increasingly defines the world’s two largest economies.
Whether the discussion results in tangible policy changes or remains symbolic, one thing is clear: the battle over AI chips has become the defining front in the global race for technological dominance.