Records identified Chinese AI data-center projects and equipment agreements worth more than 23 billion yuan (US$3.2 billion) involving restricted Nvidia processors.

The total covers planned investments, signed contracts, completed installations, and infrastructure such as buildings and power systems, not just chips.

Nvidia said US export controls had effectively excluded it from China’s data-center computing market, though some exports could still be licensed.

The records span universities, regional computing hubs, and government-backed ventures, showing continued Chinese demand for Nvidia hardware.

US controls began in 2022 and expanded in 2023 to cover H800 chips. China-bound semiconductor exports also face revised licensing review.

Some reports described unofficial channels for chip flows into China, while researchers said stopping chip smuggling was a national security priority.

A proposed US bill targets smuggling. It was unclear how the projects obtained restricted hardware.

IDC estimated Nvidia accounted for 34% of China’s AI-accelerator shipments in the first half of 2026. That is a different measure from Nvidia’s statements about its direct access to the China market.

🔗 Source: Reuters