Beijing has escalated its rhetorical offensive against Washington's semiconductor controls, characterizing recent espionage allegations as a manufactured pretext for what it calls a technological blockade. According to the Straits Times, Chinese officials dismissed claims that Beijing targeted Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang for intelligence gathering as "groundless speculation" and "an attempt to smear China." The Punch reports a similar account, stating that Beijing accused the United States of "fabricating spy narratives" involving the Nvidia CEO to justify imposing a "technological blockade." The episode illustrates how security accusations have become intertwined with the deepening contest over advanced computing hardware. Since October 2022, the Biden administration has progressively tightened export controls on high-end chips and chipmaking equipment, citing military end-use concerns.