US senators warn Nvidia's CEO over upcoming China trip
Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang was warned in a letter to refrain from meeting with companies that are suspected of undermining US chip export controls.
SAN FRANCISCO - A bipartisan pair of US senators sent a letter to Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang on July 11 about an upcoming trip to China, warning the CEO to refrain from meeting with companies that are suspected of undermining US chip export controls.
The letter from Republican Senator Jim Banks and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren asked Mr Huang to also abstain from meeting with representatives of companies that are working with the People's Republic of China's military or intelligence bodies and are named on the US restricted export list.
'We are worried that your trip to the PRC could legitimise companies that cooperate closely with the Chinese military or involve discussing exploitable gaps in US export controls,' the senators wrote.
Mr Huang planned to visit China on July 11.
An Nvidia spokesperson said, 'American wins' when its technology sets 'the global standard,' and that China has one of the largest bodies of software developers in the world.
AI software 'should run best on the US technology stack, encouraging nations worldwide to choose America,' the spokesperson said.
In May, at the Computex trade show in Taipei, Mr Huang praised President Donald Trump's decision to scrap some artificial intelligence chip export controls and described the prior diffusion rules as a failure.
US restrictions in April on AI chips Nvidia modified to comply with export controls to China would reduce Nvidia's revenue by US$15 billion (S$19 billion), the CEO said.
The hardware necessary to power advanced AI is now subject to a bipartisan consensus related to the free export of such hardware, the senators wrote.
Advanced AI hardware could 'accelerate the PRC's effort to modernise its military,' the letter reads.
US lawmakers have grown increasingly concerned about efforts to circumvent export controls to China and proposed a law that would force AI chip companies to verify the location of their products.
In June, Reuters reported that a senior US official said the AI firm DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations, and sought to use shell companies to circumvent US AI chip export controls to China.
Nvidia is planning to launch a cheaper version of its flagship Blackwell AI chips for China, Reuters reported in May. REUTERS
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
30 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Want a good meal? Head to factoryland
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – Convenience is king, but intrepid Singaporean diners have been known to travel far and wide for good food. Even if it means eating in an area filled with factories and workshops. That is how they found Seafood Paradise, which began in 2002 in a canteen in Defu Lane, an industrial area. Today, the Paradise Group has 155 restaurants in 12 cities and has spawned 12 brands. These include Taste Paradise at Ion Orchard; Paradise Teochew at Scotts Square; and hotpot chain Beauty In The Pot, with four outlets here, including at Centrepoint. New Ubin Seafood, now at Chijmes, was located for some years in Sin Ming Industrial Estate, amid car workshops. More recently, diners have flocked to Na Oh , the one-year-old Korean restaurant in Jurong West, housed in car manufacturer Hyundai's factory and innovation centre. Two new restaurants might find the success these brands have had in industrial locations. Revolution, which opens on July 18, is next to Danish furniture brand Fritz Hansen's showroom in Henderson Road. And Richman Dim Sum in Ubi Crescent has been packed since opening two months ago. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore More NSFs may be recruited to tackle scams: Police Business F&B operators face tougher business landscape amid rising costs and stiff competition Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Life SG60 F&B icons: 20 dishes and drinks which have shaped Singaporeans' taste buds Life At 79, she can do 100 pull-ups: Why more seniors are hitting the gym Life The rise of Tupai King, the rage of weather: How durian season is changing Life Hear Me Out: What I wish my parents knew before I was diagnosed with ADHD Designer furniture for dining space Revolution (opens July 18) Where: 01-05, 211 Henderson Road Open: 11am to 3pm (lunch), 3 to 5pm (tea time) (Mondays to Saturdays), closed Sundays Info: @r_evolution.sg (Instagram) There are perks to dining at Revolution, opening on July 18 at 211 Henderson Road, an industrial building housing logistics, automotive, catering and other companies. Danish furniture design company Fritz Hansen is moving its showroom there from Tan Boon Liat Building, and has carved out space for the 40-seat bistro. Those seats are the 153-year-old brand's Grand Prix chairs, designed in 1957 by Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen. Diners eat off the brand's Superellipse and Supercircular tables by Danish mathematician, designer and inventor Piet Hein; Swedish designer and architect Bruno Mathsson; and Jacobsen. The space is lit by Kaiser Idell pendant and wall lamps by German designer Christian Dell. But Mr Dario Reicherl, Fritz Hansen's chief executive for Asia, says the whole enterprise is not about selling more furniture. 'When you go to a furniture store to buy a chair or lights, I find that a boring experience. We want to do here something that goes against the Singapore experience. Create good memories and fun. Create something that doesn't exist here,' he says. The 50-year-old, who has lived in Singapore for about 20 years, has done the same in South Korea, partnering wine bar Big Lights to open a natural wine bistro above the Fritz Hansen showroom in Seoul. Fritz Hansen Asia chief executive Dario Reicherl at the Danish furniture brand's Henderson Road showroom, where space has been carved out for Revolution bistro. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI In 2023, it was Tokyo's turn. The brand outfitted Le Ginglet in Iidabashi, known for serving natural wine and housemade charcuterie. In Singapore, he roped in Mr Alvin Gho, 44, and Mr Ian Lim, 41, who used to run Wine RVLT, a natural wine bar in Carpenter Street that closes on July 12. Mr Reicherl had been a customer there for about five years. Mr Gho and Mr Lim had been looking for their next project after eight years of running RVLT. The rent at Henderson is about a third of what they used to pay in Carpenter Street, and Revolution will be a different concept altogether. For one thing, it will be more food-focused. RVLT chef Sunny Leong, 35, has worked at fine-dining restaurants such as Corner House and Sky On 57, and will be leading the new kitchen. The wine list will be more diverse, with natural and organic wines, and wines from Burgundy, France. Prices will range from $80 to $600 a bottle. (From left) Revolution co-founders Ian Lim and Alvin Gho used to run Wine RVLT, a natural wine bar in Carpenter Street. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Mr Gho says: 'People want to go out and spend money, but they are drinking a lot less. Our regulars are now in their 40s, with one or two kids. They don't want to get smashed on a night out, but they are still happy to go out for dinner.' The restaurant will open only for lunch initially. Set lunches are priced at $28.80 and will include salad, a choice of pasta and a drink. Pasta selections include Hua Diao White Clams Linguine, Mala-pesto Trofie and Salted Egg Carbonara Spaghetti. After 3pm, diners can order Salted Cod Portuguese Egg Tart ($12) and Pork Sausage Roll ($8) to go with wine. Dinner service will open to the public in September or October, with five-course tasting menus priced at $98 a person, and a menu of sharing dishes for large groups of diners. The offerings have not been finalised, but the tasting menu may include Chicken Skin Foie Gras Stroopwafel, Blue Mussel Cheong Fun and herbal roasted duck. Sharing main dishes include Grilled Sole Fish with Ginger Flower Sauce Vierge and Charcoal Grilled Wagyu Tomahawk with mashed potato. Mr Lim says: 'We've been proud of the food Sunny has put out at RVLT. But the setting was a wine bar. We promised to give him a proper kitchen, and a chance to showcase what he can do.' Mr Reicherl says of the partnership with the Revolution team: 'This place doesn't want to be another furniture-brand cafe. Fritz Hansen is a design brand that is more than 150 years old, we don't follow trends. We have a lot in common. What they are doing is different from others.' Richman dimsum, average-Joe prices Richman Dim Sum Where: 01-05 Excalibur Centre, 71 Ubi Crescent Open: 7.30am to 4pm daily Info: @richmandimsum (Instagram) Taro puffs shaped like swans, mushroom buns shaped like snails, har kow with fuchsia skin coloured with beetroot – the dimsum at Richman, a two-month-old restaurant, looks like it comes from an upscale restaurant in a hotel. But the prices show that you need not be a rich man to dine at Richman. The Crispy Taro Swans are priced at $6.80 for three, the Crispy Mushroom Snails are $5.80 for three and Beetroot Shrimp Dumplings are $5.80 for three. Most of the other dimsum – including Hand-Chopped Siew Mai, Homemade Carrot Cake, Hand Pulled Char Siew Rice Rolls – are priced at $4.80 a serving. Prices start at $2.90 for Fresh Shrimp Yong Tau Foo. Richman Dim Sum's food includes (from left) Crispy Taro Swans, Har Cheong Squid, Muah Otah Siew Mai, Cantonese Dried Vegetable & Salted Pork Porridge, Beetroot & Rice Crisps Rice Rolls and Crispy Popiah Rice Rolls. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI The restaurant is the latest venture for restaurateur Keith Kang, 42, who also has Yang Ming Seafood in Bishan, Ubi Crescent and VivoCity; and Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe in Craig Road and Somerset. In fact, he had bought the coffee-shop space in Ubi Crescent to open the second Yang Ming outlet, and was renting out the other stalls. He tells The Straits Times: 'When Yang Ming in Bishan got too busy, I started looking around for another space. I drove by this place and although it looked old, I saw there was potential. The outdoor area has a kampung atmosphere, and a breeze.' So, he opened Yang Ming there in 2021, and it did well. The tenants, however, had manpower issues, and some owed rent. Mr Kang adds that he had always wanted to open a dimsum restaurant, but that the chef he wanted to work with was unavailable at first. Finally, that chef, 47-year-old Foo Wah Keng, was – and Richman opened on May 5. Mr Kang says: 'When I go out for dimsum, hotels are good but the prices are high. Finding hawker stalls selling good-quality dimsum is hard.' Between Yang Ming and Richman, Mr Kang has no problem putting bums in the many seats. Indoors, the place seats 226, with 70 seats in the main dining area, a 120-seat air-conditioned dining room and a 36-seat private room. There are 150 seats outdoors. On weekends, he says, the place is packed. Chef Foo, who had worked at Crystal Jade and Mouth Restaurant, among other places, offers dimsum that diners might be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. There is steamed Coconut & Salted Egg Layer Cake ($5.80); Crispy Popiah Rice Rolls ($6.80), which are cheung fun stuffed with popiah filling and crispy wafers; and Har Cheong Squid ($5.80), squid steamed with fermented prawn paste. Richman Dim Sum's Har Cheong Squid is unlikely to be found elsewhere. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Mr Kang says: 'Of all the food businesses I have, dimsum is the most labour-intensive. It's hard to find people with the skills to make dimsum and who want to work in a hot kitchen.' He has air blowers in the kitchen for the nine staff, and the restaurant hires additional people on weekends to cope with the crowds. Aside from about 40 varieties of dimsum, Richman also offers roast meats, which can be had on their own or with noodles. Prices start at $4.50 for Wanton Char Siew Noodle. With people flocking to Richman, the natural progression would be to expand. But Mr Kang wants to run the business for a year before deciding. 'Customers have complained about the long wait for tables and food,' he says. 'And we sometimes run out of certain items. Everything is handmade. I can expand only if I can hire more workers.'


International Business Times
30 minutes ago
- International Business Times
Trump's Tariff Threat Sends World Stock Markets Sliding; Wall Street Hopes for Trade Resolution Before Earnings
Global stock futures tumbled early Friday in Asia as President Donald Trump doubled down on tariff threats against major U.S. trading partners. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures fell 0.4%. EUROSTOXX 50 futures also dropped by 0.4%. Trump said he would introduce a 35% tariff on Canadian goods from August 1 and threatened similar action against the EU in a letter due by Friday. Dollar Rises as ADP Data, Euro, and Canadian Dollar Fall The U.S. dollar edged 0.3% higher to C$1.3695, and the euro was down 0.2% at $1.1676. Trump was also exploring the option of a base tariff of 15% and 20% for many countries, above the current 10%. Although Canada's trade is protected under the USMCA, analysts warn that new tariffs on the EU could disrupt global markets. U.S. Stocks Sharply Higher, Nvidia Tops $4 Trillion Though tensions over tariffs have been high, Wall Street's major indexes surged to new highs on Thursday. Nvidia was the first chipmaker to finish the day with a market value greater than $4 trillion, ending the day up 1.8%. The S&P 500 rose 0.61%, and the Nasdaq gained 0.95%. Investors remain cautiously optimistic but are wary of trade news heading into next week's earnings season. Asian Markets Mixed as Trading Tensions Remain in Focus MSCI's Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) was up 0.5%, leaving it 0.7% higher for the week. Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 1.3%, and China's CSI300 added 0.5%. Tokyo's Nikkei ended the day down 0.1% and heading for a 0.6% loss on the week after Fast Retailing shed as much as 7% following a warning on the impact of a new round of tariffs. Focus Shifts to U.S. Earnings Investors are gearing up for next week's second-quarter U.S. earnings season, which JPMorgan Chase will kick off on Tuesday. Analysts have been paying attention to how businesses are handling Trump's simmering trade war, which began with his announcement on April 2 of "reciprocal" tariffs. Commodities and Bonds Update Oil prices rose from a 2 percent fall on Thursday. Brent crude was up 0.6 percent at $69.06 a barrel, and WTI crude was up 0.7 percent at $67.05. Spot gold rose 0.2 percent to $3,329 an ounce. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields edged up to 4.3577 percent on lower-than-expected jobless claims.

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Russia's drones and missile barrage targets Ukraine's west, kills two
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A view shows buildings damaged during Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine July 12, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer KYIV - Russia launched a new barrage of drones and missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Saturday, targeting the west of the country and killing at least two people in the city of Chernivtsi on the border with Romania. Western Ukrainian cities of Lviv, Lutsk, and Chernivtsi suffered the most due to the Russian attacks, and other Ukrainian regions were also hit, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said. "Russia continues to escalate its terror, launching another barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles, damaging residential areas, killing and injuring civilians," Sybiha said in a post on X, reiterating the call for stronger sanctions against Moscow. "Russia's war machine produces hundreds of means of terror per day. Its scale poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but to the entire transatlantic community." Ruslan Zaparaniuk, the governor of the Chernivetskyi region, said that two people were killed and 14 others wounded as Russian drones and a missile struck the city, located about 40 kilometres (24 miles) from Ukraine's border with Romania. Several fires broke out across the city, and residential houses and administrative buildings were damaged, regional officials said. In the city of Lviv, on Ukraine's border with Poland, 46 residential houses, a university building, the city's courts, and about 20 buildings housing small and medium-sized businesses were damaged in the attack, mayor Andriy Sadovyi said. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore More NSFs may be recruited to tackle scams: Police Business F&B operators face tougher business landscape amid rising costs and stiff competition Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Life SG60 F&B icons: 20 dishes and drinks which have shaped Singaporeans' taste buds Life At 79, she can do 100 pull-ups: Why more seniors are hitting the gym Life The rise of Tupai King, the rage of weather: How durian season is changing Life Hear Me Out: What I wish my parents knew before I was diagnosed with ADHD