AsianFin -- China is pushing the U.S. to relax export controls on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips crucial for artificial intelligence as part of a potential trade deal ahead of a possible meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, the Financial Times reported Sunday.

Beijing has conveyed its request to Washington-based experts, seeking relief from restrictions that limit access to HBM chips, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

HBM chips, often paired with AI graphics processors such as Nvidia’s, are key to speeding up data-intensive AI tasks. The U.S. curbs have hindered Chinese firms, including Huawei, from developing their own advanced AI chips, according to the FT.