Beijing rejected on Monday claims that it had spied on Jensen Huang, chief executive of US chip giant Nvidia, calling the allegations "baseless".

"We have responded to this matter previously. The narrative of a so-called Chinese spy is entirely baseless vilification and smearing," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing.

He was speaking after Nvidia's board announced it had opened a probe into media reports alleging "a foreign intelligence effort" and Huang's acknowledgement that he had an affair with a woman.

Late last month, The New York Times reported that US intelligence officials concluded that Alice Huang, a Chinese executive linked to a Singapore-based data centre company called Megaspeed, had been funnelling information to Beijing.

The executive, also known as Huang Le, developed a close relationship with the 63-year-old Nvidia boss, the Times said.

In a message to company employees released on Sunday, the Nvidia chief acknowledged having an affair and apologised to his family and company staff.

"I was unfaithful to my wife," he said.

"My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry."

Huang is a huge figure in the artificial intelligence revolution and a close informal adviser to US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly spoken out against regulating the industry so as not to let China gain the upper hand in the AI race.

The issue of AI is likely to arise during Trump's planned talks with President Xi Jinping this month at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen.

Asked whether the Nvidia chief would be joining his trip to Asia, which includes the Apec summit in Shenzhen next week, Trump said: "I don't know but I'll certainly take him."

Trump said Huang was "a fine person, but you never know what's going on. I'm sure – I hope everything's fine. He's done such an incredible job." (AFP)




Edited by Tony Sabine