Before news broke of his affair with a suspected Chinese spy, Nvidia’s Huang told Fortune his company “could be of great service” to China

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s views on China and U.S. restrictions on advanced artificial intelligence chips are under renewed scrutiny after he disclosed an affair with a woman whom U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly believe was working as a spy for China.

The disclosure has brought fresh attention to Huang’s previous comments about Nvidia’s potential role in China and to the broader political sensitivity surrounding the company’s technology exports.

Earlier comments on Nvidia’s role in China

Before the affair became public, Huang told Fortune that Nvidia “could be of great service” to China. The comment is now being examined alongside the company’s position in a market where access to advanced computing technology has become a national security issue.

Nvidia has faced years of U.S. restrictions on selling its most advanced chips to China. Those controls were introduced on national security grounds, limiting the company’s ability to supply certain high-performance artificial intelligence products to the Chinese market.

Export controls remain central issue

The renewed attention places Huang’s public views within the continuing debate over how technology companies should operate amid tighter controls on advanced AI hardware. The available information does not indicate any change to Nvidia’s export policy or U.S. rules.

For Nvidia, the episode connects scrutiny of its chief executive’s personal associations with longstanding questions about the company’s dealings with China and the strategic importance of its chips.