Nvidia's billionaire chief executive, Jensen Huang, has joined Donald Trump's delegation to China after a reported last-minute invitation, underscoring the US's ambitions in artificial intelligence and technology. Huang will be part of a roster of American business leaders including Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Goldman Sachs's David Solomon at the 36-hour summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
High-Stakes Summit
This summit marks Trump's first overseas trip since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. Discussions are expected to cover the Iran conflict, tariffs, and China's relationship with Taiwan. Trump confirmed Huang's participation on social media after reports that Huang was seen boarding Air Force One in Alaska.
Market Opportunity
Huang has been advocating for greater access to the Chinese market, which he has described as a $50 billion (approximately £36.9 billion) opportunity. An Nvidia spokesperson stated: "Jensen is attending the summit at the invitation of President Trump to support America and the administration's goals."
Trump wrote on Truth Social that CNBC had "incorrectly reported that the Great Jensen Huang, of Nvidia, was not invited to the incredible gathering of the World's Greatest Businessmen/women proudly going to China. In actuality, Jensen is currently on Air Force One." He also confirmed other attendees including BlackRock's Larry Fink, Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman, Boeing's Kelly Ortberg, and Citi's Jane Fraser.
In a post, Trump added: "I will be asking President Xi, a leader of extraordinary distinction, to 'open up' China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People's Republic to an even higher level!"
Huang's Wealth and Compensation
Huang was declared the world's seventh richest person earlier this week, overtaking Dell founder Michael Dell, thanks to Nvidia's rising share price. According to Forbes' real-time billionaire list, Huang's net worth hit $191.5 billion on Monday, driven by the value of his 3% stake in the chipmaker. However, his pay package for the 2026 financial year fell by 27% to $36.6 million due to a drop in Nvidia's stock value last year, as investors were spooked by talk of an AI market bubble.
