Huang stepped down following media reports of an extramarital relationship with Alice Huang, a Singapore-based executive suspected of having ties to Chinese intelligence agencies. She previously worked for Megaspeed, a cloud computing company under U.S. scrutiny for allegedly helping China obtain restricted AI chips.

Jensen Huang acknowledged an affair. And amid reports of a second with a company executive who reports to him, he tendered his resignation to the Nvidia board on Nov. 12, 2026.

The sensitivity of Huang’s work – AI is increasingly seen as central to national security – has turned a company matter into an international issue. China’s Foreign Ministry has denied the espionage allegations and accused the U.S. of “fabricating so-called spy narratives and ⁠⁠⁠⁠using them as a pretext for imposing ⁠⁠⁠⁠a technological blockade.” Nvidia says it has no reason to believe company secrets have been leaked.

Yet part of what makes the accusations so believable is history is dotted with examples of men being distracted, compromised or spied on by attractive men and women deployed for that purpose.

Indeed, in China it recalls an ancient political tactic known as “meiren ji” or the “beauty stratagem.”

As a scholar specializing in U.S.-China relations, I believe that regardless of the particulars of the Huang case, the political logic behind the beauty stratagem – using personal relationships to obtain information, influence decisions and weaken opponents – remains relevant today. As such, it would be no surprise if the tactic was being used amid the growing U.S.-China competition over AI and advanced semiconductors.

The beauty stratagem of Ancient China

“Meiren ji” is one of “Thirty-Six Stratagems,” a Chinese military text of uncertain origin but generally believed to have derived from oral and written histories from the Warring States period — 475–221 BCE. Its 31st stratagem states that personal relationships can be used to influence political opponents and recommends exploiting an adversary’s personal desires and emotional vulnerabilities to weaken their judgment and undermine their leadership.

The “Thirty-Six Stratagems” is both a playbook for warfare and a reflection on past experience.

Indeed, one of China’s most famous beauty stratagem stories dates back more than 2,000 years to the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history.

In the fifth century BCE, King Goujian of Yue, in modern-day southern China, was defeated by King Fuchai of Wu, its northern neighbor, and forced to submit. But Goujian secretly rebuilt his strength and prepared for revenge.

According to the ancient historical text “Wu Yue Chun Qiu,” Yue sent two beautiful women – Xi Shi and Zheng Dan – to Fuchai, hoping he would become distracted by pleasure and neglect state affairs.

The plan reportedly worked. Fuchai, seemingly enchanted by the beautiful women, gradually ignored Yue’s threat. Meanwhile, Goujian prepared for war and in 473 BCE Yue conquered Wu.

Xi Shi’s actual role in Wu’s downfall remains unclear. Wu’s defeat involved poor political decisions and Yue’s military recovery.

Still, the story illustrated an important idea in Chinese political strategy: exploiting an opponent’s personal weaknesses can sometimes be more effective than confronting him directly.

A similar tactic appears in the 14th-century novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” considered one of the classics of Chinese literature.

It tells the story of Dong Zhuo, a powerful warlord who controlled the imperial court during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. To remove him, Wang Yun, a senior court official loyal to the Han Dynasty promised a beautiful young woman, named Diaochan, in marriage to Dong Zhuo’s military commander. He then offered the same woman to Dong Zhuo.

The scheme fueled jealousy and distrust between the two men, eventually enabling Wang Yun to persuade Dong Zhuo’s underling to kill him. Wang Yun then briefly took charge of the imperial court on behalf of the Han emperor.

The ‘honey trap’ of modern spyware

In modern intelligence operations, using romantic or sexual relationships to approach targets, obtain sensitive information or exert influence is commonly called a “honey trap.” It is, moreover, certainly not unique to China. Western and Soviet intelligence agencies used intimate relationships for espionage frequently during the Cold War.

Modern China also has documented cases. One example involves French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and the Chinese opera performer Shi Pei Pu. The pair met in Beijing in 1964 and maintained a long-term intimate relationship. Throughout, Boursicot was providing French diplomatic documents to China. The spying was eventually exposed and both involved were prosecuted for espionage in France in the 1980s.

A more recent example involves former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell and Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. Swalwell acknowledged in 2015 that he had been physically intimate with Fang on several occasions. At the time, Fang helped raise funds for Swalwell’s campaign and helped place an intern in his congressional office.

Why Jensen Huang is strategically important

Jensen Huang’s position would make him a prime target for such a “honey trap” operation. His company has become central to the technological competition between the U.S and China. As AI becomes increasingly important to economic development, military capabilities and national security, moreover, Washington has repeatedly tightened restrictions on advanced AI chip exports to China, hoping to slow its access to computing power.

Beijing is investing heavily in domestic semiconductor development. Yet Chinese companies still need advanced chips to train AI models and build data centers.

From Beijing’s perspective, advanced AI chips matter not only for Chinese technology companies but for future military and technological competition.

This puts Nvidia in a particularly important position and helps explain the national security concerns surrounding Huang.

However, strategic motives do not prove an intelligence operation occurred. Jensen Huang’s importance does not, in itself, establish that he was targeted by a honey trap or that Alice Huang acted for Chinese intelligence. Those are allegations that still require full investigation.

Espionage in the age of AI

Yet it is surely true that in modern politics – just as in ancient China’s rivalries – rivals seek information about opponents, try to influence important decisions and exploit weaknesses to gain strategic advantages.

What has changed is who controls important strategic resources.

In ancient China, influencing a ruler through personal relationships could affect a country’s political and military decisions. Today, approaching a major technology executive could offer access to sensitive technologies.

More than 2,000 years ago, a powerful state could lose its advantage through a ruler’s personal weaknesses. Today, political and technological power are distributed differently.

But as long as important decisions depend on individuals, personal relationships may remain a weakness that rivals can exploit.

Linggong Kong, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, Auburn University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.