Trump administration sets GPU export rules that put Chinese buyers at the back of the queue

The Trump administration will only allow exports of Nvidia and AMD GPUs to China if local buyers can get all the kit they want.

Recent US policy has restricted exports of advanced GPUs to China, on grounds that the Middle Kingdom can use them for military purposes. That ban meant Nvidia could not export its H200 accelerator to China. The company responded by creating the H20, a crippled version of the H200.

The Trump administration later banned exports of the H20, to prevent China improving its AI capabilities. Nvidia later said that decision cost it over $10 billion in sales.

The administration then reversed the ban and promised to allow H200 sales into China subject to certain conditions.

On Tuesday, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) revealed those conditions in a filing [PDF] that explains it will allow Nvidia and AMD to apply to ...