White House defends limited chip shipments to China, says US keeping 'advanced tech at home'
Washington, Dec 12
The White House defended President Donald Trump’s decision to allow certain Nvidia AI chips to be shipped to China under controlled conditions, insisting the administration is maintaining a strict security perimeter around America’s most advanced technology.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump “put out his own statement on this†and that his public position reflects his private discussions. According to her, Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping that “Nvidia will only be shipping H200 products to approved customers in China… under conditions that will allow for continued strong national security.â€
At the same time, she stressed that “the administration continues to maintain a strict export control regime†and is ensuring that “the Blackwell chip and other advanced technologies stay right here in America.†She added that any Nvidia H100 chips sent to China “will only be sent… after undergoing a security inspection here in the United States.â€
The remarks came amid growing questions from US lawmakers and industry analysts about whether the administration’s controlled release of older-generation AI chips could still help China accelerate its military-use AI development.
Responding to questions, the White House press secretary maintained that national security remains the overriding consideration.
Leavitt emphasised that President Trump’s approach combines engagement with firm boundaries. “What you see from the President on Truth Social is most of the time what you hear from the President behind closed doors,†she said, indicating alignment between his public messaging and internal policy directives.
She pointed to repeated assurances from the President that critical strategic technologies remain protected. The newest-generation Blackwell architecture will not be made available to China, she said.
The comments followed a broader briefing in which Leavitt portrayed Trump as intent on strengthening US leadership in advanced technologies, maintaining leverage over China, and ensuring American companies operate within tightly enforced export controls.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's all about controlling the narrative. They say "strict security" but still allow some shipments. This creates a dependency for China while the US keeps the crown jewels. India's approach with China should be similarly calculated—engage in trade but protect our core tech and data.
Good! Every country has the right to protect its advanced technology. China does the same, maybe even more aggressively. This tech war is the new reality. India needs to play this game skillfully and build partnerships to access what we need while developing our own capabilities.
As someone working in the IT sector in Bangalore, I see this firsthand. The global chip shortage and these export controls affect project timelines and costs worldwide. While security is paramount, the fragmentation of the tech supply chain is a headache for global companies, including many Indian IT firms.
The line about "what you see on Truth Social is what you hear behind closed doors" is concerning, to be honest. Policy shouldn't be made on social media whims. I hope our leaders in Delhi are more deliberate and consult experts before making such critical tech and security decisions.
This is the perfect opportunity for India. While US and China are locked in this tussle, we should position ourselves as a reliable, neutral hub for semiconductor design and eventually manufacturing. We have the talent. We just need the right policy push and foreign investment. Jai Hind!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.