On one hand, "unsaleable"; on the other, "seeking restrictions"—a new development emerges in the Sino-U.S. semiconductor rivalry.

Today (April 23), the Straits Times of Singapore reported that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on April 22 that the high-performance H200 AI chip from U.S. chip giant NVIDIA has not yet been sold to Chinese enterprises, claiming these companies are encountering "difficulties" in obtaining approval from the Chinese government. Meanwhile, Reuters cited sources familiar with the matter, reporting that Micron Technology, the largest U.S. manufacturer of memory chips, is actively pushing for a bill through Congress to impose new export controls on equipment used by its Chinese competitors in chip production.

These two seemingly contradictory reports reflect the intricate and complex strategic game between China and the United States over chip controls. On one hand, NVIDIA’s “unsaleable” status reveals American anxiety. Lutnick blaming China’s “approval difficulties” actually conceals the awkward reality of failed U.S. export controls. To retain access to the Chinese market, NVIDIA has continuously launched “watered-down” versions of its chips—precisely the restriction on the H200 indicating that China’s regulatory countermeasures are working, refusing to allow the U.S. to simultaneously profit and choke off supply. The U.S. desires export revenue from China while fearing technology leakage—an internal contradiction.

On the other hand, Micron’s “seeking restrictions” reflects competitive anxiety. Micron’s market share in China has been squeezed by Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) and ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT). Rather than focusing on innovation, it seeks government intervention to suppress rivals’ equipment—typical of a “can’t beat them, so try to block them” strategy. This approach, substituting regulation for genuine competition, violates market principles and exposes the fragility of U.S. industry: relying on hegemony and protectionism is unsustainable in the long run.

Now, China breaks through blockades through self-reliance, while the U.S. maintains dominance through control. The two sides are shifting positions. NVIDIA’s predicament shows decoupling is harder than expected; Micron’s actions prove containment has failed.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863242927157324/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.