Trump greenlights Nvidia’s H200 AI chip shipments to China
US President Donald Trump has granted Nvidia permission to export its H200 artificial intelligence chips to authorized customers in China. The decision alleviates certain restrictions on AI chips; however, the US President emphasized that safeguarding national security continues to be the foremost concern. The decision arises from enduring US apprehensions that the sale of advanced semiconductors may bolster China’s swift advancements in AI and jeopardize American technological supremacy. The H200 is engineered for high-performance computing and AI training, although it does not represent Nvidia’s most advanced chip. The company’s premier Blackwell processors and the upcoming Rubin line are currently restricted from Chinese buyers under existing regulations.
Chief executive officer Jensen Huang has developed a strong rapport with Trump following the November 2024 election and has contended that restrictions merely bolster Chinese domestic champions like Huawei Technologies. In a message shared on his social media platform, Trump stated that he had notified Chinese President Xi Jinping of the decision and received a favorable response. “Controlled sales would help protect American interests by boosting domestic employment, strengthening US manufacturing supply chains and delivering economic returns to taxpayers,” he said. He stated that under the new policy framework, a 25 per cent fee will be paid to the US on approved exports.
Trump utilized the announcement to critique the strategy of the previous administration, asserting that President Joe Biden’s export controls compelled US companies to invest billions in the development of “degraded” products that were undesirable to global customers. He stated that such measures hindered innovation and negatively impacted American workers. Stating that “the era is over”, Trump committed to retaining jobs domestically, strengthening national security, and ensuring the US maintains its lead in the global AI competition.
Trump also stated that Nvidia’s American clients are already advancing with the more powerful Blackwell chips, with Rubin anticipated soon, neither of which are part of this agreement. He noted that the Commerce Department is nearing the completion of additional export arrangements for other US semiconductor manufacturers, including Advanced Micro Devices and Intel, under comparable conditions.
