Chinese university buys Nvidia AI H200 chips despite US ban, records show
Summary
Procurement records show that Northwestern Polytechnical University in China bought two Nvidia H200 AI chips in October through a domestic supplier, despite U.S. export restrictions on the university. The records also show the university rented computing capacity using Nvidia chips, highlighting how Chinese institutions can access restricted technology through local companies.Key Facts
- The university paid 874,700 yuan, or about $123,000, for two H200 chips, according to an October 21 procurement record.
- The chips were purchased for the university’s management school from Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology, not directly from Nvidia.
- Northwestern Polytechnical University is on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List, which restricts exports of controlled U.S. technology to listed organizations.
- The university’s procurement records show five contracts this year for rented computing capacity using H200 chips and other Nvidia processors.
- Northwestern Polytechnical University conducts research related to military aircraft, missiles and satellites and is part of China’s Seven Sons of National Defense group.
- A Reuters review of 26 Chinese procurement and corporate records found other universities and research institutions buying restricted Nvidia chips or renting access to computing services using them.
- The Trump administration began allowing some H200 exports to China on a case-by-case basis in January, but the policy did not remove restrictions on Entity List organizations.
- U.S. lawmakers from both parties have called for tighter controls and greater congressional oversight of advanced AI chip exports to China.
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