BUSINESS

U.S. Blocks Use of Huawei’s Most Advanced Chips

Published: May. 14, 2025 7:07 p.m. GMT+8

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The U.S. government is attempting to limit the use of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.’s advanced computing chips worldwide, introducing a new restriction as part of a years-long effort to curb the Chinese tech giant’s ambitions in the industry.

The development and production of Huawei’s most advanced Ascend chips — with uses including powering large artificial intelligence models — are “likely” in violation of U.S. export controls, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said Tuesday.

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The U.S. introduced new restrictions on Huawei’s advanced Ascend chips, citing likely violations of U.S. export controls due to their use of U.S. technology.
The ban targets specific high-performance chips (Ascend 910B, 910C, 910D), with severe penalties for unauthorized use or export, affecting both U.S. and foreign entities.
This action follows a joint U.S.-China agreement to temporarily reduce mutual tariffs, with the U.S. lowering tariffs to 30% and China to 10% for 90 days.

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Who’s Who

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is a Chinese tech giant known for developing advanced computing chips, including the Ascend series used for AI applications. The U.S. government is imposing new restrictions on Huawei’s high-performance chips, citing concerns over export controls due to their development with U.S. technology. Huawei’s chips have become increasingly popular in China, especially as the country pushes for semiconductor self-sufficiency amid ongoing U.S.-China technology tensions.

Nvidia Corp.: According to the article, Nvidia Corp.’s high-end chips are restricted from export to Chinese customers by the U.S. government. As a result, Huawei’s Ascend chips have gained traction in China. The Ascend 910B chip reportedly features interconnect technology similar to Nvidia’s NVLink, which enables multiple chips to work together to boost computing power for tasks like training large language models.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) is a leading global semiconductor foundry. According to the article, TSMC produced Huawei’s Ascend 910 chip using its advanced 7-nanometer technology. TSMC plays a key role in the semiconductor supply chain, manufacturing chips designed by various technology companies worldwide and contributing to the development of advanced computing technologies.

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