PLA-Linked Chinese University Bought Nvidia H200 Chips Despite US Blacklist

What happened

According to an Oct 21 procurement record on the university's website, Northwestern Polytechnical University's management school bought two H200 chips through Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology rather than directly from Nvidia. The university is a member of China's 'Seven Sons of National Defense' group of elite defense-focused universities, has deep ties to the People's Liberation Army, and was added to the U.S. Entity List in 2001 over alleged missile-proliferation activities and military research. The H200 is among Nvidia's most capable chips for training and running advanced AI systems, and its export requires a licence that is normally denied for blacklisted institutions.

Reuters says the university also signed five contracts this year renting access to H200 chips and other powerful Nvidia AI processors from Chinese companies. A Reuters review of 26 Chinese procurement and corporate records from this year found universities and research institutions buying U.S.-restricted Nvidia chips or renting access to Nvidia-powered computing services that use such chips through domestic suppliers. Reuters is reporting the chip purchases and computing contracts for the first time.

Northwestern Polytechnical University, Nvidia and the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, which oversees export controls, did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The report does not say whether the chips have been delivered and put to use, nor whether the purchase breached specific provisions of U.S. export control rules.

Key facts

1. Purchase: Northwestern Polytechnical University bought two H200 chips in October for 874,700 yuan, about $123,000; the procurement record is dated Oct 21
2. Channel: Bought through Shaanxi Bosuan Network Technology, not directly from Nvidia; the buyer was the university's management school
3. Background: A member of the 'Seven Sons of National Defense' with deep PLA ties; added to the U.S. Entity List in 2001 over alleged missile proliferation and military research
4. Controls: H200 exports require a U.S. licence, normally denied for Entity List institutions
5. Compute rental: The university signed five more contracts this year renting access to H200 and other Nvidia AI processors
6. Scope: Reuters reviewed 26 records and found multiple universities and research institutions buying restricted chips through domestic suppliers or renting compute