Silicon Valley keeps misreading China’s role in tech
Silicon Valley's perception of China's role in technology is often misaligned with the reality faced by major companies. While many in the tech community view China as an adversary, leaders from Tesla, Apple, and Nvidia see it as a peer and have built strong ties with the country. This disconnect between public rhetoric and corporate strategy could have significant implications for the future of U.S.-China relations in the tech sector.
- ▪Tesla, Apple, and Nvidia have established deep ties with China, contrary to the prevailing narrative of competition.
- ▪Apple manufactures most of its iPhones in China, while Tesla delivered a significant portion of its vehicles to Chinese customers.
- ▪Nvidia has maintained a strong presence in China, despite export bans, by smuggling chips and advocating for continued sales.
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Ideas Silicon Valley keeps misreading China’s role in tech The heads of Tesla, Apple, and Nvidia regard Chinese companies as peers, not enemies, unlike most other Silicon Valley founders. By Lex Zhao Lex Zhao is a managing partner at venture firm One Way Ventures. 19 May 2026 Getty Images/Rest of World Getty Images/Rest of World By Lex Zhao 19 May 2026 Ideas Silicon Valley keeps misreading China’s role in tech By Lex Zhao > Ideas Arguments, opinions and essays from a global perspective. When Donald Trump arrived in Beijing last week for his first state visit to China since 2017, he was joined by the CEOs of Tesla, Apple, Nvidia, Micron, Qualcomm, and others. Their presence went against the rhetoric coming out of Washington and Silicon Valley of deteriorating U.S.-China relations.
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