The key facts

  • Nvidia launched an independent investigation on November 8 after reports of a Chinese special operation against Huang; he acknowledged a relationship with Alice Huang of Singapore's Megaspeed
  • South Korea's science ministry said Nvidia confirmed a plan to supply 260,000 advanced GPUs
  • Singapore is investigating Megaspeed and six more individuals; Alice Huang has been barred from re-entering the country

What Happened

Jensen Huang's departure from the post of Nvidia CEO drew a notable reaction across Asia, where the company's key partners in chip manufacturing and artificial intelligence development are concentrated. On Sunday, November 8, Nvidia's board of directors launched an independent investigation after reports that Huang had been the target of a Chinese espionage operation. Huang himself acknowledged a romantic relationship with Alice Huang, a former top executive at the Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed.

China: Denials and Risks to Projects

On November 10, China's Foreign Ministry rejected claims that the Chinese businesswoman linked to Huang had been a spy, calling them baseless and slander against Beijing. Later on Friday, a ministry spokesperson again voiced protest against export restrictions that disrupt global supply chains and said the ministry had no information about reports of restricted Nvidia chips in a Shanghai data center linked to Alice Huang. According to a Reuters review of procurement documents, investment plans and corporate reports, Huang's departure created uncertainty around Chinese AI computing projects worth more than $3 billion that depend on restricted Nvidia processors, which Chinese companies find difficult to obtain due to American export controls.

Singapore: Investigation Continues

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said that in June 2025, Alice Huang, former CEO of the cloud company Megaspeed, had her passport seized as part of an investigation into possible false declarations in server procurement: police did this to keep her available for questioning, since she did not reside in Singapore. The probe concerned whether servers were shipped from Singapore to Malaysia and then to other countries without proper declaration. In February 2026, police found the evidence insufficient but established that Huang had knowingly provided inaccurate information about her role at Megaspeed: she was issued a warning and barred from re-entry, and her passport was returned the same month. Singapore also said it had received limited assistance from US authorities regarding server maker Supermicro despite repeated requests. The investigation into Megaspeed and six more individuals is ongoing; their names and alleged roles have not been disclosed.

Korea, Taiwan and Japan: Shipments and Projects

South Korea's science ministry said Nvidia confirmed a plan to supply the country with 260,000 advanced GPUs and to continue joint AI projects; the government's AI strategy council held an emergency meeting on Friday to assess the impact of Huang's departure on the industry. Taiwan's Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin, according to local media, believed Huang's departure was unlikely to noticeably change the growth of the global AI industry, while Taipei authorities said Nvidia's planned international headquarters in the city remains on schedule: the company had been fulfilling its contractual obligations, and support for the project will continue. Japan's industry ministry said it would closely monitor Nvidia as an important participant in Japan's AI semiconductor industry, and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki noted that it was still too early to assess the impact on the global AI industry, emphasizing Japan's commitment to stable semiconductor supplies.