It is reported that NVIDIA’s new AI semiconductor “B30A” is being developed for the Chinese market will have performance that exceeds the conventional H20, highlighting a new bargaining strategy for the semiconductor business between the United States and China.
🟦 NVIDIA Develops New AI Semiconductor “B30A” for China
NVIDIA is developing a new AI semiconductor “B30A” for the Chinese market while complying with US export regulations. It is designed based on the latest generation architecture “Blackwell” and is expected to surpass the H20 in performance.
- Key takeaways from the announcement: B30A is a new China-specific chip based on the Blackwell generation. It is scheduled to provide prototypes to Chinese companies as early as September.
- Technical features: The B300 GPU has a two-die configuration, while the B30A has a single-die configuration. The computing power is about half that of advanced products, but it exceeds the level of H20. It also includes high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and NVLink technology.
- Target Market and Application: Data center for AI development and generative AI in China. For commercial use within the scope of regulations.
🟦 U.S.-China confrontation and regulatory adjustment bargaining
The United States has strictly regulated the export of advanced chips to China due to concerns that AI semiconductors will be diverted to the military. NVIDIA launched the H20 in 2023, but was ordered to stop sales in the spring of 2025 and conditionally resumed in July. In addition, a mechanism has been introduced to pay 15% of sales to China to the US government.
The Trump administration has suggested that “if performance is reduced, there is a possibility of export acceptance,” and the B30A can be said to be a product of that negotiation. On the other hand, there is a persistent concern in the U.S. Congress that “supplying even a reduced version will lead to strengthening China’s AI capabilities,” and approval is unclear.
Competitor Huawei is rapidly improving performance with its proprietary chips, and Chinese authorities are strongly promoting localization. NVIDIA needs to “design at the last minute that does not slip through regulations” to maintain its dependence on the Chinese market (about 13% of sales).
🟦 Summary
The B30A developed by NVIDIA is a product of compromise that exceeds H20 and meets regulatory standards, aiming to maintain competitiveness in the Chinese market.
The composition in which approval is left to the discretion of the U.S. government reminds us of a time when China once decided whether or not to introduce foreign investment and technology at its own discretion.
