China issues port crackdown on all Nvidia AI chip imports, says report — enforcement teams deployed to quash smuggling and investigate data center hardware, targeting H20 and RTX 6000D shipments

Chinese customs authorities have intensified inspections on Nvidia chip imports, focusing on H20 and RTX 6000D shipments to prevent smuggled U.S. chips from entering domestic data centers. The crackdown, led by the Cyberspace Administration of China and customs officials, has expanded to cover all advanced semiconductor products. This move impacts China's gray market, which heavily relies on repurposed Nvidia processors due to tightened access to the H20. The crackdown may lead to delays for data-center operators awaiting Nvidia shipments and slower rollouts of China's domestic hardware due to supply chain challenges. Nvidia is reportedly exploring a successor to the H20 that complies with U.S. controls amidst the evolving regulatory landscape.