The US should immediately stop its wrongdoing and treat companies from all countries, including Chinese companies, fairly, China's Ministry of Commerce said.

(Image credit: Nvidia)

Chinese authorities expressed their opposition after chip giant Nvidia's exports of high-end GPU chips to China were restricted by the US government.

"For some time, the US side has been continuously abusing export control measures to restrict exports of semiconductor-related items to China, which China firmly opposes," China's Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) spokeswoman Shu Jueting said at a regular press conference today.

Shu expressed that position in response to a Reuters reporter's question about China's comments on the US government's request to restrict Nvidia's exports of high-end GPU chips to China, according to information published on the Mofcom's website.

The US side's practice deviates from the principle of fair competition and violates international economic and trade rules, Shu said, adding that it not only harms the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, but will also seriously affect the interests of US companies.

The practice impedes international scientific and technological exchanges and economic and trade cooperation, and causes impact on the stability of the global industrial chain, supply chain and the recovery of the world economy, she said.

The US side should immediately stop the wrong approach, treat companies of all countries, including Chinese companies, fairly and do more to contribute to the stability of the world economy, Shu said.

China's Foreign Ministry also said in a regular press conference today that the US approach is typical of scientific and technological hegemony.

The US side abuses its national power and tries to use its own scientific and technological advantages to contain and suppress the development of emerging markets and developing countries, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, adding that the move violates the rules of the market economy and undermines the international economic and trade order.

China is firmly opposed to this, Wang said.

The US government notified Nvidia on August 26 of new licensing requirements for any future exports of its A100 and upcoming H100 integrated circuits to China, including Hong Kong, and Russia, effective immediately, according to a statement from the chipmaker on August 31.

Nvidia's DGX or any other system that uses the A100 or H100 ICs and the A100X is also covered by the new licensing requirements.

Nvidia said it is reaching out to customers in China and seeking to meet their planned or future purchases of data center products with products that are not subject to the new licensing requirements.

While China's supercomputing centers are seen as the main affected, the move could also spill over to electric vehicle companies that use such chips for research and development.

Nvidia's GPU export restrictions may hinder self-driving R&D for Chinese EV makers