Elon Musk: The China-US summit was “very smooth,” and many good things are happening

On May 14, a social media post by New York Post reporter Emily Goodin said that the White House press corps saw Elon Musk in Beijing and conducted interviews. After the summit, Musk said the talks went “very smoothly,” adding that “a lot of good things are happening.” Jensen Huang said the talks went “very smoothly,” adding that both heads of state of China and the U.S. were “absolutely fantastic.” After making a “yeah” hand gesture at the camera, Cook raised his thumbs-up.

Confirmation reactions from the three CEOs

According to Emily Goodin’s on-the-ground reporting on social media, the three people whose reactions were confirmed by the White House press corps during the interviews are as follows:

Elon Musk: The talks went “very smoothly,” and he said “a lot of good things are happening”

Jensen Huang: “The talks went very smoothly,” and he said both heads of state of China and the U.S. were “absolutely fantastic”

Tim Cook: First made a “yeah” hand gesture to the camera, then raised his thumbs-up

Confirmation of the process of Jensen Huang joining the delegation

A CNBC insider said that after Trump saw media reports that Jensen Huang had not been invited, he called to invite him to join the delegation. Huang then flew to Alaska to board Air Force One. Trump confirmed on social media that Huang had boarded Air Force One and denied media reports that Huang had not been invited. In a statement, a spokesperson for Nvidia said: “Jensen was invited by President Trump to attend the summit to support the goals of the United States and this administration.” When asked about Huang joining mid-way in Alaska, Nvidia used the same wording but provided no further details. As of the time of the report, the White House had not responded to the matter.

Trump’s confirmed agenda and main demands for his visit to China

Trump plans to meet formally with China’s President on Thursday and Friday. The trip includes more than a dozen U.S. company executives. On social media, Trump publicly stated that his “top demand” to China’s President was to open the Chinese market to American companies: “I’m going to ask China’s President, this outstanding leader, to ‘open’ China, so that these outstanding people can use their talents.”

Background data on Nvidia chips in China

Nvidia’s most advanced chips are widely used to train AI models, but over the past four years, sales of these chips in China have been restricted by increasingly strict U.S. export controls. Nvidia confirmed in February 2026 that even if it received approval from the U.S. government, its latest-generation chips still cannot enter the Chinese market. Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez said on the “Asia Economic Forum” program: “I still think we’re a long way from reaching an export control agreement… It’s good that he was able to be there and become part of the delegation. That’s important for him, and it’s also important for the president.”

FAQ

Was Jensen Huang initially not invited to join Trump’s delegation?

According to a CNBC insider, Jensen Huang was not initially invited; Trump called to invite him after seeing media reports. Trump personally denied the reports about Huang not being invited on social media, and Nvidia’s spokesperson confirmed that Huang “attended at President Trump’s invitation,” but did not explain the details of Huang joining mid-way in Alaska.

What is the core demand of Trump’s visit to Beijing?

Based on Trump’s public statement on social media, his “top demand” to China’s President is to open the Chinese market so that American companies can enter the Chinese market. The White House has not provided further public details on other specific agenda items for the delegation.

What is the current export situation for Nvidia chips in China?

Nvidia’s most advanced chips have had their sales in China restricted by U.S. export controls for more than four years. Nvidia confirmed in February 2026 that even if the government approved them, its latest-generation chips still cannot enter the Chinese market. China is simultaneously developing AI solutions that do not rely on Nvidia’s AI models (such as DeepSeek) and domestic chip replacement options.