The U.S.-China tech war continues to escalate. On the 2nd, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urged Congress members, Silicon Valley, and allies to prevent China from acquiring crucial semiconductors and cutting-edge technologies vital for national security. She specifically mentioned AI chip giant Nvidia, emphasising that national security outweighs profitability.

In October, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a series of export control bans on advanced chips to China, including restrictions on chips used for AI development, aiming to prevent their potential military application in China.

Last week, it was reported that Nvidia is developing a low-tier RTX 4090 specifically targeting the Chinese market, claiming that the product will comply with U.S. embargo standards, named "RTX 4090 D."

China's Significant Security Threat to the US

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo even remarked at the Reagan National Defence Forum 2023 held in Simi Valley, California, on the 2nd, stating,

"China is the 'biggest threat' facing the United States, and China is not a friend of the United States."

In front of several chip company executives, Raymondo singled out the AI chip leader, Nvidia, and pointed out:

"I know there are CEOs of chip companies in this audience who were a little cranky with me when I did that, because you’re losing revenue. Such is life, protecting our national security matters more than short-term revenue."

"Every day China wakes up trying to figure out how to do an end run around our export controls ... which means every minute of every day, we have to wake up tightening those controls and being more serious about enforcement with our allies."

Raymond emphasised that the United States leads globally in AI and advanced semiconductor design, thanks to the efforts of the private sector. She added that the U.S. will absolutely not allow China to catch up.