Chinese University Buys Nvidia H200 Chips Despite U.S. Export Blacklist

A Chinese university with military ties purchased Nvidia's H200 AI chips last month despite being on a U.S. export blacklist, according to procurement records, exposing gaps in Washington's technology restrictions on China. Northwestern Polytechnical University, a member of the "Seven Sons of National Defense" group under U.S. sanctions, bought two H200 chips for 874,700 yuan through domestic supplier Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology. The university also secured five contracts this year for rented computing capacity using restricted Nvidia processors. The H200 is among Nvidia's most advanced AI chips and requires export licenses normally denied for blacklisted institutions. The purchases highlight a wider market where Chinese universities obtain restricted Nvidia chips through domestic suppliers, with Reuters documenting 26 similar procurement cases this year.