US Commerce Secretary: Nvidia CEO Expresses Commitment to Comply with China Export Controls

Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, Foreign Media Interview

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, recently stated that he would comply with the U.S. government's policy to ban the export of low-spec artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors to China.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Gina Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, revealed this during an interview with foreign media on the 11th (local time), mentioning that she recently met with CEO Huang.

According to Secretary Raimondo, Huang said, "We do not want to break the rules," and "Please tell us the rules. We will cooperate with the government." In response, Raimondo explained, "NVIDIA can sell AI semiconductors to China because most AI semiconductors are for commercial use," adding, "What NVIDIA cannot sell are the most sophisticated and fastest AI semiconductors."

In the interview, Secretary Raimondo emphasized, "NVIDIA clearly wants to sell as much as possible but wants to do the right thing," and stated that they are cooperating with NVIDIA regarding export controls to China.

Earlier, the Commerce Department announced strengthened export controls on semiconductors to China in October, focusing on tightening AI semiconductor regulations and blocking sanction evasions. After the U.S. export control measures against China last year made it difficult to export existing products, NVIDIA produced and exported AI semiconductors with reduced performance for the Chinese market, and these measures aim to prevent that.

Meanwhile, Secretary Raimondo said regarding the first disbursement of subsidies under the CHIPS and Science Act (CSA) to a semiconductor manufacturing plant producing key semiconductors used in U.S. military fighter jets such as the F-35, "Within a year from now, there will be about 10 to 12 similar announcements," adding, "Some of these will be worth billions of dollars."

She also reported that during last month's U.S.-China summit, U.S. President Joe Biden pressured Chinese President Xi Jinping to purchase Boeing's 737 Max aircraft. China has banned the operation of the 737 Max within its territory since the 2018 crash incidents involving the model.