US: Washington lifts restrictions on Nvidia H20 chip shipments to China

The United States authorities have decided to lift export restrictions on the supply of Nvidia H20 graphics processors to China. The decision is related to the need to maintain the US leadership in the production of semiconductors for artificial intelligence and strategic control over the global supply chain.

According to representatives of the US administration, the refusal of a complete ban is dictated by calculation. In the face of increasing technological competition between the world's two largest economies, China's rejection of American solutions in favor of developing its own microchips may lead to an accelerated growth of independent production in China. Removing restrictions on the supply of less productive, but still critical chips allows you to maintain control over the market, preventing China from moving to full technological sovereignty in the strategic sector.

H20 graphics accelerators were initially adapted to meet the requirements of American export regulations and focused on the Chinese market after the United States banned the sale of more powerful models capable of high-speed data generation in artificial intelligence systems in 2023. The H20 represents one of the trade-off products that preserve commercial benefits for American companies, but limit the potential of their use in defense and research development.

The decision to resume deliveries was agreed after consultations with key industry participants and was accompanied by additional export control measures. It is part of a broader U.S. trade and technology strategy that includes negotiating rare-earth metals and regulating access to advanced computing power.

American chips remain the backbone of modern AI infrastructure, and their export regulation directly affects the balance of power in the global technology race. H20 shipments to China keep the United States competitive, generating revenue for manufacturers and limiting Beijing's ability to build up its own microelectronic base without access to key components.

The global semiconductor market is undergoing a structural transformation, and decisions made in Washington have a direct impact on the trajectory of AI, the defense industry, and the digital economy in Asia and beyond. The development of events around the Nvidia H20 chips will be an indicator of the sustainability of the US strategy of technological deterrence and the ability of the private sector to adapt to the conditions of geo-economic pressure.