Jensen Huang's Taipei welcome turns cool amid FBI probe

The warmth that greeted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in his birthplace, Taiwan, has cooled sharply. Local shopkeepers and residents in Taipei are questioning the 63-year-old executive's public image following an FBI investigation into his relationship with Alice Huang, a businesswoman whom U.S. officials described as a Chinese agent.

Huang was born in Taiwan and spent his early childhood there before moving to the United States for school. He has maintained a regular presence in the country for business events, often visiting local establishments that displayed photos of him. That tradition is now under scrutiny. Jane Hsieh, a 70-year-old owner of a tofu pudding shop in Taipei, previously displayed photos of the tech leader. She said she felt deep regret when the scandal broke, noting that Huang had previously maintained a near-perfect public image.

Hsieh stated that while she would remain polite if Huang returned, the relationship would be awkward. "I’d be polite to him, but my feelings toward him would be different," she said. Jeff Huang, a 72-year-old resident, observed that customers were already suggesting the removal of the CEO's photos from storefronts. He described the shift in perception as a fall from grace triggered by allegations of a personal moral scandal and corporate espionage.

The timeline of the couple's movements in Taiwan has become a focal point for local authorities. Local media reported that Jensen Huang visited the island for two weeks between May and June, with a short stopover in August. The presidential office spokesperson, Karen Kuo, confirmed that national security agencies have full knowledge of the pair's travel itinerary during their time in the country.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng told reporters Thursday that Alice Huang entered the island as a "Hong Konger" despite being originally from mainland China. Before becoming a director at Singapore-based Megaspeed, a company that identified itself as an Nvidia cloud partner, she worked at HSBC's Hong Kong private banking arm and CITIC Securities. The Central News Agency reported that Alice Huang entered Taiwan eight times in 2024 and 2025, with no recorded entry this year.

Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang said that Alice Huang's entry permit has been revoked. She stated that the National Immigration Agency will cooperate with national security authorities to investigate events that occurred during the woman's stay. Chiu said authorities would restrict any future entries in accordance with the law. In a separate development, President Donald Trump said Monday that he believes Jensen Huang had "absolutely no idea" the woman was a spy, despite the FBI's ongoing probe.

Jensen Huang acknowledged the affair in an open letter posted on Nvidia's website, apologizing to his wife and the company. The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence determined the woman was gathering information for Beijing. Beijing has rebutted the spy claim, calling it "unsubstantiated." Liu said this week that national security officials are actively investigating questions surrounding Megaspeed and Alice Huang.