A photo reportedly taken in Beijing shows Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang with Lei Jun, chairman of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi. Photo: WeChat account of chinanews.com

A report posted on the WeChat account of domestic media outlet chinanews.com on Monday contained two photos of Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang and Lei Jun, chairman of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, reportedly taken in Beijing. In both pictures, Huang sported an iconic black leather jacket despite the city's 35-degree Celsius weather.

One image captured the pair smiling in front of a traditional Chinese-style building, while in the other, they were standing beside a Xiaomi car, flashing thumbs-up at the camera, according to the report on the WeChat account of chinanews.com. 

The Global Times reached out to both Nvidia and Xiaomi for comments, but has not received responses as of press time on Monday.  

The photos come as Huang is reportedly on his third trip to China this year, according to the report on the WeChat account of chinanews.com. According to a Reuters report on Sunday, Huang will hold a media briefing in Beijing on July 16.

Huang is also reportedly scheduled to attend the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), which will take place in Beijing from July 16 to 20. At the expo, Nvidia will make its first-ever appearance among 230-plus first-time exhibitors from both China and abroad. Huang will attend the event and reaffirm the company's long-term commitment to the Chinese market and unveil new products, according to the chinanews.com report, citing other media reports.

On Monday, when visiting the venue for the CISCE, Global Times reporters observed staff members setting up Nvidia's booth. Several robots were among the products on display at Nvidia's booth at the expo.   

This marks Huang's third publicly reported trip to China this year. In April, Huang met with Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, in Beijing. During the meeting, Huang emphasized that China is a very important market for Nvidia and expressed the company's willingness to continue cooperation with China, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

In January, the Nvidia chief executive visited China for the first time in four years to attend annual company meetings, the South China Morning Post reported at the time. Huang visited China to "celebrate new year with employees," an Nvidia spokesperson told the South China Morning Post. 

Huang's frequent visits underline the strategic importance the company attaches to maintaining ties with the Chinese market amid increasing restrictions on US technology exports to China, Tian Feng, president of the Fast Think Institute and former dean of Chinese AI software giant SenseTime's Intelligence Industry Research Institute, told the Global Times on Monday.

Huang and Lei have a long-standing relationship. In 2013, Huang attended the launch event for the Xiaomi Mi 3, promoting Nvidia's Tegra chipset on stage. Huang jokingly declared himself a "Mi fan," the term for Xiaomi enthusiasts, according to the report on the WeChat account of chinanews.com.

China generated $17 billion in revenue for Nvidia in the fiscal year ending January 26, accounting for 13 percent of the company's total sales, based on its latest annual report. Huang has consistently highlighted China as a critical market for Nvidia's growth, according to the Reuters.

Global Times