China calls Nvidia H20 chips unsafe, cites ‘backdoor’ concerns

China has escalated its tech security battle with the United States, targeting Nvidia’s latest H20 artificial intelligence chips with claims they are unsafe, outdated and environmentally unfriendly. The sharp criticism, published by an account linked to state broadcaster CCTV, comes just weeks after Beijing formally summoned the US chipmaker over alleged “backdoor” access in its hardware.

The WeChat article from Yuyuan Tantian, a social media handle affiliated with CCTV, said the H20 chips were not advanced, not green, and not secure. It argued that Chinese consumers “have the option not to buy” products that fail on all three counts. The statement builds on earlier criticism from People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s flagship paper, which demanded “convincing security proofs” from Nvidia to restore market trust. As per Reuters, this is the latest in a string of warnings from Beijing against foreign tech suppliers amid tightening controls over critical digital infrastructure.

The ‘backdoor’ allegation

China’s cyberspace watchdog met Nvidia executives on 31 July to question whether the H20 chips contained any hardware “backdoor," a hidden method to bypass normal authentication or security controls. State media claims such access could enable functions like remote shutdown of the hardware.

Nvidia, in response, said its products contain no such backdoors and do not allow remote access or control.

The US–China chip flashpoint

The H20 is one of several chips Nvidia designed specifically for China after the US imposed sweeping AI chip export restrictions in late 2023. The administration of President Donald Trump initially banned H20 sales in April 2025 amid rising trade tensions, but later reversed the decision in July to allow limited exports.

The chip has since faced scepticism in China, not just over security risks, but also its performance. Analysts note that the H20 is less powerful than Nvidia’s top global AI chips due to US export rules, potentially limiting its adoption in China’s rapidly evolving AI sector.

What this means for the tech war?

Security claims against Nvidia fit into a broader pattern of mutual distrust between Washington and Beijing over semiconductors — the backbone of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and military systems.

While the US accuses China of technology theft and national security risks from its hardware, Beijing is now mirroring those arguments, scrutinising American chips for possible vulnerabilities. If Chinese buyers shun the H20, Nvidia risks losing a major share of one of its biggest international markets.

(With inputs from the agencies)