China’s blacklisted defense universities bought banned Nvidia AI chips despite US controls

Northwestern Polytechnical University, a prominent Chinese institution specializing in defense research, purchased two advanced Nvidia H200 AI chips in October, according to official procurement records. The university, located in Xi’an, is on the US trade blacklist and is recognized for its significant involvement in military technology, including research on aircraft, missiles, and satellites. Purchase records indicate the university paid 874,700 yuan, equivalent to around $123,000, for the two H200 chips. The transaction was facilitated not directly with Nvidia but through a local firm, Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology, for use in the university’s management department. Since 2001, the US Commerce Department has restricted Northwestern Polytechnical University’s access to American technology, citing concerns over missile technology proliferation.

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