Chinese Military School Bought Nvidia H200s Past Limits

Written by Sandra Leggero

Sandra Leggero has a background in financial markets, having spent more than 9 years in commodities trading for several European and Asian companies. She holds a degree in Economics from the University of Pavia and specializes in emerging markets.

, | Updated: November 12, 2026

Key Moments

Northwestern Polytechnical University reportedly bought two Nvidia H200 processors for 874,700 yuan ($123,000) via a Chinese supplier.
Procurement and corporate records reviewed by Reuters showed broader access by Chinese institutions to restricted Nvidia chips and related computing services.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been asked by three Republican congressional committee chairmen to brief them on November 18 regarding his reported contacts with an alleged Chinese intelligence operative.

PLA-Linked University Reportedly Obtains Restricted Nvidia Chips

A Chinese university with longstanding connections to the People’s Liberation Army acquired advanced Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) artificial intelligence processors despite being subject to U.S. export limits, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday that cited procurement records it reviewed.

Reuters reported that Northwestern Polytechnical University – one of China’s elite defense-oriented “Seven Sons of National Defense” institutions – purchased two Nvidia H200 chips through a domestic supplier last month for a total of 874,700 yuan ($123,000).

Access via Domestic Suppliers and Computing-Service Contracts

In addition to the direct purchase, Reuters reported that the university obtained access to restricted Nvidia hardware through multiple computing-service agreements. These contracts included servers equipped with H200, A100 and A800 processors, which were used for artificial intelligence training and engineering simulations, according to the report.

The Reuters review indicated that Chinese institutions can still reach U.S.-restricted computing capabilities through local intermediaries, despite efforts by Washington to tighten technology export controls.

Scope of Reported Procurement Activity

Reuters stated that it examined 26 procurement and corporate records that showed Chinese universities and research bodies either buying restricted Nvidia chips outright or securing access to cloud and server resources powered by those processors.

Entity	Reported Activity	Chip Models Involved	Source
Northwestern Polytechnical University	Purchased two H200 processors for 874,700 yuan ($123,000)	H200	Reuters procurement records review
Northwestern Polytechnical University	Accessed chips via computing-service contracts for AI training and simulations	H200, A100, A800	Reuters report
Multiple Chinese universities and research institutions	Purchased or rented access to restricted chips and related services	Restricted Nvidia processors (various)	26 procurement and corporate records reviewed by Reuters

Political Scrutiny of Nvidia’s China Exposure

According to the report, these developments have unfolded as Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang has come under heightened attention from U.S. lawmakers over his lobbying efforts for broader access to the Chinese market.

Reuters reported that three Republican congressional committee chairmen have asked Huang to participate in a briefing on November 18 regarding “his reported contacts with an alleged Chinese intelligence operative.”