Hassan Khan
China Blocks Nvidia AI Chip Purchases Amid Tech Rivalry
China has taken another big step in its push to cut down reliance on American technology. According to reports, regulators in Beijing have instructed some of the country’s biggest tech companies, including ByteDance and Alibaba, to stop purchasing and testing Nvidia’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) chips.
The order, reportedly coming from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), applies to the RTX Pro 6000D a chip Nvidia designed specifically for China after Washington banned the sale of its more powerful models. While Beijing hasn’t officially announced a ban, the move looks like part of a wider strategy to strengthen the domestic semiconductor industry at a time when tensions with the U.S remain high.
Read More: Nvidia CEO: AI Chip Boom Is Just Getting Started
Nvidia, which has long counted China as one of its most important markets, isn’t taking the news lightly. CEO Jensen Huang, speaking to reporters in London, admitted his disappointment, saying the company has “Probably contributed more to China’s AI growth than most countries.” Still, he acknowledged that larger geopolitical agendas are shaping the decisions. “We can only serve a market if the country wants us there,” Huang remarked.
This latest development adds another layer to the ongoing U.S China tech rivalry. Earlier this year, Washington placed restrictions on Nvidia’s advanced H20 chips, only to later soften its stance. Despite that, Beijing has been quietly nudging its domestic firms to avoid relying on American-made processors particularly in sensitive areas like government projects.
For China, the move signals an aggressive push to build its own AI chips and reduce vulnerabilities created by foreign dependence. For Nvidia, it raises new questions about its future in one of the world’s fastest growing AI markets.
Read More: Nvidia and AMD Agree to Give U.S. Government 15% of China Chip Sales in Unusual Agreement
At its core, this isn’t just about chips. It’s about power technological power that will shape the next decade. And right now, both Washington and Beijing are making it clear they don’t want to be caught on the weaker side of this digital rivalry.
Summary
China has reportedly told major tech firms like ByteDance and Alibaba to stop buying Nvidia’s AI chips, aiming to cut reliance on U.S technology and boost its domestic semiconductor industry. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang voiced disappointment but acknowledged the broader U.S China tensions behind the move. The ban follows months of shifting U.S restrictions on Nvidia chip sales to China, deepening the ongoing tech war.
