Chinese customs authorities have informed customs agents this week that Nvidia's H200 chips aren't permitted to enter the country, Reuters reported Jan. 14. Chinese government officials also informed domestic technology companies that they shouldn't purchase the chips "unless necessary," the report said.
Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Jan. 14 welcomed the Bureau of Industry and Security’s new license review policy for certain chip exports to China (see 2601130073), saying the agency took a “good step” by requiring companies like Nvidia to prioritize U.S. customers.
The U.S. is planning to impose a 25% tariff on imports of certain advanced chips that are then exported elsewhere, the White House said Jan. 14.
Kevin Kurland, who left the Bureau of Industry and Security late last year after nearly three decades with the agency (see 2511190045), has joined Beacon Global Strategies as a senior adviser. Kurland most recently served as the acting BIS principal deputy assistant secretary for strategic trade and technology security.
The House voted 369-22 late Jan. 12 to pass the Remote Access Security Act, which aims to close a “loophole” that allows China to use cloud service providers to access advanced U.S. chips remotely.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is easing its license review policy for certain chip exports to China but requiring exporters to meet several pre-conditions, including by certifying that there is “sufficient supply” of the chip in the U.S. and that the chips will be subject to “rigorous” know your customer procedures.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is easing its license review policy for exports of Nvidia H200 chips and their equivalents that are destined to China and Macau, BIS said in a final rule released Jan. 13 and effective Jan. 15. License applications for those chips will be reviewed under a case-by-case policy instead of a presumption of denial as long as the semiconductors set to be exported are commercially available in the U.S. and the exporter can attest to several certifications, including that there is “sufficient supply” in the U.S.; the chip has “sufficient security procedures”; that production of the chip won’t “divert global foundry capacity for similar or more advanced products for end users in the United States”; the chip had undergone third-party testing; and more.
Reps. Jefferson Shreve, R-Ind., and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., introduced a bill Jan. 9 aimed at bolstering the technical staffing of the Bureau of Industry and Security.
Exyte has improved its compliance program after a breach of U.S. export controls led to a $1.5 million settlement with the Bureau of Industry and Security last week (see 2601080059), a company spokesperson said Jan. 9 in an email. "Following an internal review, Exyte voluntarily disclosed the matter to BIS, cooperated fully with the authorities, and has strengthened its export control compliance program and controls," the spokesperson said. "The matter is resolved."
The House voted 397-28 on Jan. 8 to approve a compromise three-bill FY 2026 appropriations package that would provide $235 million for the Bureau of Industry and Security, up $44 million (23%) from the enacted FY 2025 level.