Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has criticized President Donald Trump’s move to permit Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) to sell its H200 artificial intelligence chip to China.
Sunak Says Nvidia H200 Sale Gives China A Major AI Boost
In a column for The Times shared on X over the weekend, Sunak said allowing the sale of Nvidia’s H200 chip — while still barring the more advanced Blackwell — should not be dismissed as a minor concession.
He noted the H200 is multiple times “more powerful” than chips China could previously import and stronger than anything Chinese firms are expected to produce in the near term.
“The significance of this decision should not be underestimated… It substantially increases the chance of China catching up with the West in the AI race, and then swiftly overtaking it,” Sunak wrote.
Export Controls Were Working, Sunak Argues
Sunak stressed that export restrictions, though imperfect, had been effective.
The U.S.’s key edge in the AI race has been its lead in advanced chip technology, an advantage that Sunak said Trump’s decision has now reduced.
He noted that DeepSeek, one of China’s top AI companies, has made it clear that limited access to Nvidia chips has been its biggest constraint.
Concerns Over Security, Surveillance And Military Use
Sunak also warned against viewing Chinese tech companies as separate from the state, citing Beijing’s civil-military fusion strategy.
He said it is “naive” to assume chips sold for commercial purposes would not support surveillance or military applications.
Trade Politics And Global Alliances At Risk
Sunak suggested Trump’s decision is driven by trade pressures rather than long-term strategy, saying the president is seeking to ease tensions with Beijing ahead of U.S. midterm elections.
“A world where Beijing dominates both tech and manufacturing,” Sunak wrote, would be deeply troubling for open, democratic societies.
Beijing Considers Restricting Nvidia H200 Chips
Earlier reports said Beijing was considering limiting access to Nvidia’s advanced H200 chips, a move that was followed by the arrest of two Chinese nationals accused of illegally smuggling Nvidia chips into the country in violation of U.S. export rules.
However, Futurum CEO Daniel Newman has said China’s strongest chance of staying competitive in AI hinges on its ability to use Nvidia’s chips.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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