(Washington, D.C.) The Trump administration currently prohibits Nvidia from selling its most advanced Blackwell chips to China. However, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessant said that sales to China might be permitted when these chips are no longer top-of-the-line.
In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday (November 4), Bessant described Nvidia's Blackwell chips as the "crown jewel," but noted that due to rapid technological advancements, they may no longer be the most advanced chips in the near future, potentially opening the door for Nvidia to sell them to China.
Bessant further explained, "I'm referring to the speed of technological progress, not the speed of progress in U.S.-China negotiations. Perhaps a reason will be provided for opening up sales... I don't know if it will be 12 or 24 months from now. Because Nvidia's innovation is truly amazing, the performance of Blackwell chips may be ranked second, third, or even fourth by then, and then they can be sold to China."
White House Press Secretary Levitt also confirmed at a press conference on the same day that the Trump administration currently has "no intention" of allowing Nvidia to sell Blackwell chips to China.
The White House's latest statement echoes President Trump's declaration last Sunday (August 2nd) that the most advanced chips produced by the world's most valuable company (Nvidia) must be reserved for American companies and not allowed to be held by China or other countries.
Further Reading
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang attempted to persuade Trump to allow him to sell Blackwell chips to China before the Xi-Trump meeting. However, Washington officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told Trump that these chips would bolster China's AI data center capabilities, thereby threatening U.S. national security.
Ultimately, Trump did not discuss the Nvidia chip issue during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan last Thursday (October 30).
Bessant: Xi and Trump May Meet Four Times Next Year
In an interview on Tuesday, Bessant revealed that Trump and Xi Jinping may have four opportunities to meet next year. "I believe there will be two state visits between the U.S. and China next year. President Trump will visit Beijing, and President Xi Jinping will come to the United States. They may also meet at the G20 summit in Doral, Florida, and the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November."
Trump had previously announced that the G20 summit in mid-December next year will be held at his golf resort in Doral, Florida.
