Trump Administration Considers Allowing Nvidia H200 AI Chip Sales to China

US considering letting Nvidia sell H200 chips to China, sources say

Nov 21 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering greenlighting sales of Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, people familiar with the matter said, as a bilateral detente boosts prospects for exports of advanced U.S. technology to China. The Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. export controls, is reviewing the policy of barring sales of such chips to China, the sources said, stressing that plans could change. Sign up here. The White House and the Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The possibility signals a friendlier approach to China, after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping brokered a trade and tech war truce in Busan last month. China hawks in Washington are concerned that shipments of more advanced AI chips to China could help Beijing supercharge its military, fears that prompted the Biden administration to set limits on such exports. Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington, Karen Freifeld in New York and Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Richard Chang Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Could Trump greenlight Nvidia to sell H200 AI chips in China? Here's what it means for the global tech race

Nvidia H200 AI chips China: The Trump administration is weighing whether to let Nvidia resume sales of its powerful H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, which could be a potential policy shift that comes as Washington and Beijing navigate a fragile tech truce, as per a report. The Commerce Department, which is responsible for US export controls, is reviewing a possible change to its current rules that bar Nvidia from selling the advanced chips to China, and they also emphasized that no final decision has been made and plans could still shift, as per a Reuters report. Meanwhile, Nvidia did not address the review directly to Reuters, but the company noted that under existing regulations, it cannot offer a competitive AI data center chip in China, effectively leaving one of its largest markets to fast-growing foreign rivals. ALSO READ: Japan drops $135 billion stimulus as inflation spirals, experts warn of a true Minsky Moment - what is it? The potential reopening of high-end chip sales marks a notable shift in tone after US president Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a trade and technology truce last month during talks in Busan, easing tensions after years of escalating restrictions, as per the Reuters report. Still, not everyone in Washington is comfortable with the idea. China hawks warn that giving Beijing access to more advanced AI chips could strengthen its military capabilities, the same concern that drove the Biden administration to impose strict limits on such exports, as per the report. ALSO READ: Think you know Social Security? These 3 hidden facts could change your benefits Trump, for his part, has oscillated on China tech policy this year. Despite warning that Beijing's increasing use of export controls on rare earth minerals could disrupt global technology supply chains, he ultimately rolled back many of the additional restrictions he had floated. The H200, unveiled two years ago, features significantly more high-bandwidth memory than the H100, allowing it to process data faster. It is believed to be roughly twice as powerful as Nvidia's H20, currently the most advanced chip the US allows companies to sell to China after the Trump administration reversed its brief ban on those exports earlier this year. The potential policy shift comes as Nvidia's leadership maintains a close relationship with the White House. Earlier this week, CEO Jensen Huang, whom Trump has publicly praised as a "great guy", attended a White House event during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit. Meanwhile, the Commerce Department confirmed this week that it had approved shipments of up to 70,000 Nvidia Blackwell chips, the company's next-generation AI processors, to Saudi Arabia's Humain and the UAE's G42, reported Reuters. Why can't Nvidia sell H200 chips in China right now? Current US export rules prevent selling top AI data center chips to China. Has Nvidia's CEO been involved in White House events? Yes, Jensen Huang attended a White House event during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit.

U.S. mulls letting Nvidia sell H200 chips to China, sources say

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering greenlighting sales of Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, people familiar with the matter said, as a bilateral detente boosts prospects for exports of advanced U.S. technology to China. The Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. export controls, is reviewing a change to its policy of barring sales of such chips to China, the sources said, stressing that plans could change. A White House official declined to comment but said, "The administration is committed to securing America's global technology leadership and safeguarding our national security."

US considering letting Nvidia sell H200 chips to China, sources say - The Korea Times

The Trump administration is considering greenlighting sales of Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, people familiar with the matter said, as a bilateral detente boosts prospects for exports of advanced U.S. technology to China. The Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. export controls, is reviewing the policy of barring sales of such chips to China, the sources said, stressing that plans could change. The White House and the Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The possibility signals a friendlier approach to China, after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping brokered a trade and tech war truce in Busan last month. China hawks in Washington are concerned that shipments of more advanced AI chips to China could help Beijing supercharge its military, fears that prompted the Biden administration to set limits on such exports.

U.S. mulls letting Nvidia sell H200 chips to China, sources say

The Trump administration is considering greenlighting sales of Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, people familiar with the matter said, as a bilateral detente boosts prospects for exports of advanced U.S. technology to China. The U.S. Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. export controls, is reviewing a change to its policy of barring sales of such chips to China, the sources said, stressing that plans could change. The White House and the U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Nvidia did not comment directly on the review but said current regulation does not allow the company to offer a competitive AI data center chip in China, leaving that massive market to its rapidly growing foreign competitors. The possibility signals a friendlier approach to China, after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping brokered a trade and tech war truce in Busan last month. China hawks in Washington are concerned that shipments of more advanced AI chips to China could help Beijing supercharge its military, fears that prompted the Biden administration to set limits on such exports. Faced with Beijing's muscular use of export controls on rare earth minerals, critical for producing a raft of tech goods, Trump this year has threatened new restrictions on tech exports to China, but ultimately rolled them back in most cases. The H200 chip, unveiled two years ago, has more high-bandwidth memory than its predecessor the H100, allowing it to process data more quickly. It is estimated to be twice as powerful as Nvidia's H20 chip, the most advanced AI semiconductor that can legally be exported to China, after the Trump administration reversed its short-lived ban on such sales earlier this year. Earlier this week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whom Trump has described as a "great guy," was among the guests at the White House during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit. The U.S. Commerce Department announced this week it had approved shipments of the equivalent of up to 70,000 Nvidia Blackwell chips, Nvidia's next-generation AI chip, to Saudi Arabia's Humain and G42 of the United Arab Emirates.