🛑 DOUBLE BLOCKADE: China Set to Restrict NVIDIA H200 Chips, Even After Trump Approved the Sale 🤯
The trade war takes an unexpected turn.
While the White House, under President Trump, approved the sale of NVIDIA's H200 AI chips (and reportedly sought a 25% revenue cut), Beijing is reportedly preparing to throw up its own roadblock.
The Twist: China's Counter-Restriction 🇨🇳
Despite the US easing export controls, reliable sources indicate that China is poised to impose stringent restrictions on the chips, making it difficult for domestic companies to purchase them.
Why the Self-Ban?
Tech Paranoia: Ongoing fears in Beijing about potential "backdoors" or security vulnerabilities in US-made AI hardware.
Domestic Champions: A strong push to force Chinese firms to adopt homegrown AI alternatives (like those from Huawei), reducing reliance on foreign tech and bolstering local innovation.
Technological Gap: For major buyers, the H200 is still significantly less powerful than NVIDIA's newest global releases (like the Blackwell series), which remain fully restricted.
What This Means:
This isn't just about trade; it’s a geopolitical chess match. Even when the US opens the door, China is signaling its absolute commitment to technological self-reliance (Zìlì Gēngshēng) and de-risking its key AI infrastructure from any foreign influence.
The world's most critical AI hardware is now caught in a double-bind: restricted by the seller, and now potentially restricted by the buyer.
