Asian governments react to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s exit

Following Jensen Huang's departure from Nvidia, Asian governments have responded with varying degrees of concern and action. On November 8, the company's board initiated an independent investigation into allegations that Huang was involved in a Chinese spy operation. Huang subsequently admitted to an affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based chip company.

China's foreign ministry dismissed reports that a Chinese businesswoman linked to Huang was a spy, calling the allegations "groundless" and a "smear against Beijing." In response to the leadership change, the Ministry expressed opposition to export controls that could disrupt global semiconductor supply chains.

Nvidia's influence goes beyond the United States, with the company forging close ties with companies worldwide, particularly in Asia. Many of these partnerships are crucial to the global AI industry. China's AI computing projects, valued at over $3 billion, rely heavily on Nvidia's restricted processors, which are subject to U.S. export controls. This has raised uncertainty about the procurement of these chips by Chinese companies.

In Singapore, authorities confiscated the passport of Alice Huang in June 2025 as part of an investigation into potential false declarations concerning server purchases. Police took her passport to ensure her availability for questioning, as she was not based in Singapore. The investigation found insufficient evidence to prosecute her for the alleged offenses; however, she was warned and barred from re-entering Singapore due to providing false information about her role at Megaspeed. Her passport was returned later that month.

Singapore also reported limited assistance from U.S. authorities in its investigation into Megaspeed and six other individuals, though the ministry did not disclose their identities or alleged roles. The investigation is ongoing.

South Korea maintains strong ties with Nvidia, with key chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix supplying memory chips for its AI processors. Following Huang's exit, the South Korean Science Ministry confirmed Nvidia's commitment to supplying 260,000 advanced GPUs and continuing joint AI projects. The country's government AI strategy council held an emergency meeting to evaluate the potential impact on the nation's AI industry.

Taiwan's Economy Minister Kung Ming-shin stated that Huang's departure is unlikely to significantly alter the global AI industry's growth. Taipei's city government assured that Nvidia's planned overseas headquarters in Taipei would proceed as scheduled, as the company had met its contractual obligations.

In Japan, the Industry Ministry pledged to closely monitor Nvidia following Huang's resignation, recognizing the company's significance within Japan's AI semiconductor industry. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki indicated that it was premature to assess the impact on the global AI industry, emphasizing Japan's commitment to maintaining a stable supply of semiconductors.