BEIJING, July 16, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called China's open-source artificial intelligence a "catalyst for global progress" and hailed the country's innovation in the sector as he addressed an expo in Beijing on Wednesday.

Beijing is using this week's China International Supply Chain Expo as a forum to boost its image as the global defender of free trade -- in contrast to the tariff chaos sparked by US President Donald Trump.

Addressing the expo's opening ceremony, Huang -- whose firm this week became the first to touch $4 trillion in market value -- hailed China's role in pioneering AI.

"China's open-source AI is a catalyst for global progress, giving every country and industry a chance to join the AI revolution," he said in a reference to Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.

"AI is transforming every industry, from scientific research and healthcare to energy, transportation and logistics," he said.

Huang praised China's "super-fast" innovation, powered by its "researchers, developers and entrepreneurs".

Nvidia announced on Tuesday that it will resume sales of its H20 AI chips to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing restrictions that had halted exports.

The California-based company produces some of the world's most advanced semiconductors but cannot ship its most cutting-edge chips to China due to concerns that Beijing could use them to enhance military capabilities.

Nvidia developed the H20 -- a less powerful version of its AI processing units -- specifically for export to China. However, that plan stalled when the Trump administration tightened export licensing requirements in April.

"The US government has assured Nvidia that licenses will be granted, and Nvidia hopes to start deliveries soon," the company said in a statement Tuesday, adding it was "filing applications to sell the Nvidia H20 GPU again".

The announcement from Nvidia boosted tech firms around the world, with Wall Street's Nasdaq exchange rising to another record high and stocks in Hong Kong also rallying.

- 'Multiple risks intertwining' -

The tightened US export curbs come as China's economy wavers, with domestic consumers reluctant to spend and a prolonged property sector crisis weighing on growth.

President Xi Jinping has called for greater self-reliance in the face of increasing external uncertainty.

And in a thinly veiled swipe at Trump in his opening remarks at the expo, Vice Premier He Lifeng said: "... some countries are interfering in the market under the pretext of reducing risk, using measures such as imposing tariffs."

"Global changes of a century are accelerating, with multiple risks intertwining and piling up," he said.

"We need to further build a shared consensus on development, firmly oppose the politicisation... and over-securitisation of economic and trade issues, and work together to uphold an open and cooperative international environment."