Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls US chip restrictions on China a mistake

Huang says export controls cost Nvidia billions, shrank its China share, and handed momentum to rivals like Huawei Jensen Huang has a complaint about Washington’s China policy, and it comes with numbers attached. The Nvidia CEO called US restrictions on advanced chip sales to China a strategic mistake. He argued that the rules have cost his company billions and weakened its hold on one of the world’s largest technology markets. What Huang said, and what it cost In an interview, Huang said US export controls helped push Nvidia’s share of the Chinese market from around 95% down to about 50%. The financial damage shows up in Nvidia’s own reporting. China accounted for only 9% of the company’s fiscal 2026 revenue, a sharp decline from earlier years. The restrictions have also produced direct charges on the books. Nvidia recorded a $4.5 billion charge tied to its H20 chips, plus a $0.4 billion charge related to H200 inventory commitments. Huang’s broader argument goes beyond Nvidia’s income statement. In his view, the controls didn’t slow China’s progress in semiconductors and AI. They sped it up. He pointed to Huawei as the clearest beneficiary. Huang said Chinese competitors have beco...