Blacklisted Chinese University Buys Nvidia AI Chips Despite U.S. Export Ban

A Chinese university blacklisted by the U.S. for military ties purchased Nvidia AI chips despite export restrictions, paying 874,700 yuan for two H200 processors through a domestic supplier. Northwestern Polytechnical University bought the chips from Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology in October, with records showing it also rented additional Nvidia computing power this year. The H200 requires a U.S. export license, which is typically denied for entities on the Commerce Department's Entity List, where the university has been since 2001. The university, part of the "Seven Sons of National Defense," conducts work on satellites and missiles. Other Chinese institutions, including Shenzhen University and Beihang University, also acquired restricted chips via domestic suppliers. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang faces congressional scrutiny over lobbying to ease sales restrictions.