China Considers Allowing Select Tech Giants to Purchase High-End Nvidia Chips
China's government is considering allowing select domestic tech giants to purchase Nvidia's high-end chips, which could be a rare easing signal in the U.S.-China chip control standoff.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has reportedly asked companies including Alibaba and ByteDance to submit plans for purchasing Nvidia's RTX PRO 5500 chips, indicating that the government intends to approve these purchases.
Nvidia launched the RTX PRO 5500 this month, primarily targeting high-end professional computing applications. The chip may not fall within the scope of U.S. export control restrictions, according to some senior industry executives.
The procurement has not yet been officially confirmed by the Chinese government, and even if it is approved, the actual timing, quantities, and criteria for clearance remain unknown.