US-China summit leaves semiconductor export controls largely untouched
Semiconductor restrictions were not prominent in the public accounts of the Xi-Trump summit, despite efforts by Nvidia and AMD to regain access to China. Analysts say Beijing may have grown more confident in domestic chip production, but future US controls could reignite tensions.
US restrictions on semiconductor exports to China appear to have played a limited role in the public discussions surrounding President Xi Jinping’s summit with Donald Trump, despite pressure from major chipmakers to restore market access. Nvidia chief Jensen Huang and AMD chief Lisa Su attended a White House state dinner alongside the two presidents. However, neither government’s summit readout directly mentioned export controls, and China’s announcement of eight outcomes did not refer to US technology restrictions.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that national-security export controls had been taken off the table during the week’s trade discussions. He also said the restrictions were not raised during AI-related talks between US Vice-President He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The controls themselves remain in place.
Restrictions introduced under the Biden administration in 2022 continue to limit China’s access to advanced chips and chipmaking equipment. Some measures were tightened during Trump’s second term, including a ban on Nvidia’s H20 chip. Brookings fellow Kyle Chan said China may be more comfortable with existing restrictions as its domestic semiconductor industry develops.
Paul Triolo of DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group said Chinese manufacturers were taking a larger share of their domestic market. TrendForce forecasts that Chinese suppliers led by Huawei Technologies and Cambricon Technologies will capture nearly 80 per cent of China’s AI-server market this year. Foreign suppliers’ share is expected to fall to 21 per cent in 2026 from 34 per cent last year.
Analysts cautioned that the apparent stalemate may not last. Proposed US legislation could press allies such as Japan and the Netherlands to align more closely with Washington’s controls. Triolo said Beijing could respond with restrictions on rare earths and related equipment.
The summit therefore appears to have reduced the prominence of the issue without resolving the underlying technology dispute.
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