According to a report by the Financial Times, China has stepped up its enforcement of import restrictions on U.S. semiconductors, with a particular emphasis on Nvidia’s artificial intelligence chips. This move underscores Beijing’s efforts to accelerate domestic semiconductor capabilities amid ongoing tensions with Washington.
As reported by the media outlet, citing unnamed sources, Chinese customs officers have been deployed to major entry points in the country to carry out stringent inspections of incoming semiconductor shipments.
The initial phase of these checks concentrated on Nvidia’s H20 and RTX Pro 6000D models — chips specifically engineered to comply with current U.S. export controls. The scope of inspections has now expanded to encompass all sophisticated semiconductor products that may violate U.S. export regulations, according to the report.
Neither Chinese customs authorities nor Nvidia representatives immediately responded to requests for comment, Reuters noted.
Previous reporting by the Financial Times stated that at least $1 billion worth of Nvidia’s premier AI processors had circumvented export controls and entered China during a three-month span beginning in May.
In response to U.S. policies, Nvidia recently introduced the RTX6000D AI chip, designed for the Chinese market as reported by Reuters last month. Nonetheless, the chip has experienced tepid demand, with some of China’s significant technology players choosing not to place orders.
Notably, President Donald Trump signaled in August that future policy could permit Nvidia to sell more advanced chips in China.
Chinese regulators have meanwhile accused Nvidia of breaching anti-monopoly law and have ordered leading local tech companies to cancel existing orders and suspend any further purchases of Nvidia’s AI chips, as per the Financial Times in September.
While domestic players such as Huawei have made inroads in the semiconductor arena, sources familiar with engineering operations at Chinese technology firms maintain that Nvidia’s products still outperform those produced by local rivals.
