US President Donald Trump has cleared the way for Nvidia, a leading American chip maker, to start selling its advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China. This move marks a significant shift in US policy towards China, which had previously banned the sale of Nvidia's most powerful chips due to national security concerns.
Trump announced on Monday that he had informed Chinese President Xi Jinping about the decision and said it was "positive". He also stated that the Department of Commerce is finalising the details of the deal, which will allow Nvidia to ship its H200 products to approved customers in China. The US will receive 25% of the proceeds from these sales, more than previously agreed upon.
The move has been welcomed by Nvidia, with the company saying it strikes a "thoughtful balance that is great for America". Trump claimed that selling chips to China would support US jobs and manufacturing. However, some lawmakers have questioned the legality of such arrangements, including Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim, who expressed concerns about the potential risks to national security.
The decision comes after years of US curbs on AI exports, which had provided a rare chance for China's domestic chip industry to grow and catch up. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang has been a key figure in lobbying Trump to open up sales in China, and he has worked closely with the president since his inauguration.
China's response to the announcement is yet to be seen, but some analysts believe that this move could be a strategic mistake for China, which had imposed its own controls on imports of Nvidia chips earlier this year. The Chinese tech industry has been struggling to compete with US giants like Nvidia and AMD, and any advantage gained from this deal could be short-lived.
For Nvidia, the decision could mean a significant windfall worth billions of dollars. The company is already valued at $4.5 trillion and has pledged to invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years. However, some critics have questioned whether selling chips to China is a "win" for America, given the potential risks to national security.
Ultimately, this move reflects Trump's commitment to putting America first and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom on trade and foreign policy. As he wrote on social media, "That Era is OVER! My Administration will always put America FIRST."
Trump announced on Monday that he had informed Chinese President Xi Jinping about the decision and said it was "positive". He also stated that the Department of Commerce is finalising the details of the deal, which will allow Nvidia to ship its H200 products to approved customers in China. The US will receive 25% of the proceeds from these sales, more than previously agreed upon.
The move has been welcomed by Nvidia, with the company saying it strikes a "thoughtful balance that is great for America". Trump claimed that selling chips to China would support US jobs and manufacturing. However, some lawmakers have questioned the legality of such arrangements, including Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim, who expressed concerns about the potential risks to national security.
The decision comes after years of US curbs on AI exports, which had provided a rare chance for China's domestic chip industry to grow and catch up. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang has been a key figure in lobbying Trump to open up sales in China, and he has worked closely with the president since his inauguration.
China's response to the announcement is yet to be seen, but some analysts believe that this move could be a strategic mistake for China, which had imposed its own controls on imports of Nvidia chips earlier this year. The Chinese tech industry has been struggling to compete with US giants like Nvidia and AMD, and any advantage gained from this deal could be short-lived.
For Nvidia, the decision could mean a significant windfall worth billions of dollars. The company is already valued at $4.5 trillion and has pledged to invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years. However, some critics have questioned whether selling chips to China is a "win" for America, given the potential risks to national security.
Ultimately, this move reflects Trump's commitment to putting America first and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom on trade and foreign policy. As he wrote on social media, "That Era is OVER! My Administration will always put America FIRST."