Chinese University Tied to PLA Bought Nvidia H200 Chips Despite US Blacklist

A Chinese university with ties to the People's Liberation Army purchased Nvidia's H200 AI chips last month despite being on a US export blacklist, procurement records show, exposing gaps in Washington's technology curbs. The purchase occurred as Nvidia faces scrutiny over its China sales lobbying. Northwestern Polytechnical University, blacklisted since 2001, bought two H200 chips for $123,000 through domestic supplier Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology, not Nvidia directly. The university also secured five contracts this year for rented computing capacity using H200 and other restricted Nvidia processors. The records reveal a broader pattern of Chinese institutions acquiring restricted Nvidia chips via domestic suppliers, including Shenzhen University, Wuhan University of Technology, and Beihang University. US lawmakers have urged stronger export controls, with three Republican chairmen requesting a briefing with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on November 18.