China tightens port checks on Nvidia AI chips to enforce U.S. export curbs

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China has ramped up inspections on imported U.S. semiconductors, including Nvidia’s artificial intelligence chips, as part of a broader effort to strengthen oversight and promote domestic chip production, the Financial Times reported Friday.

Customs officials have reportedly been dispatched to major ports to scrutinize semiconductor shipments more closely. The inspections initially focused on Nvidia’s H20 and RTX Pro 6000D models — chips specifically designed to comply with U.S. export restrictions — but have since expanded to all advanced semiconductor products that could breach those controls.

Neither Nvidia nor China’s customs agency has commented publicly on the report, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims.

The move reflects Beijing’s deepening response to Washington’s tightening export rules, which have cut Chinese access to high-end chips used in artificial intelligence and supercomputing. The FT previously reported that over $1 billion worth of Nvidia’s top AI processors had been smuggled into China in just three months this year.

In recent months, Chinese authorities have also accused Nvidia of antitrust violations and ordered local tech giants to suspend chip purchases. While Huawei and other domestic firms have advanced their semiconductor capabilities, engineers within China’s tech sector acknowledge Nvidia’s chips remain unmatched in performance.

The heightened inspections come amid a geopolitical tug-of-war over AI leadership, with U.S. President Donald Trump signaling in August that he might loosen some restrictions on Nvidia’s exports to China — a move that could reshape the delicate balance in the global chip race.

China tightens rare earths export rules, adds semiconductor and defense curbs

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China sharply expanded its rare earths export restrictions on Thursday, adding five new elements and imposing stricter controls on semiconductor and defense users, in a move seen as tightening Beijing’s grip on critical materials ahead of Trump–Xi talks later this month.

The Ministry of Commerce said the new rules include holmium, erbium, thulium, europium, and ytterbium, bringing the total number of restricted rare earths to 12. Dozens of refining technologies were also added to the control list, while foreign companies using Chinese materials or equipment will now need a Chinese export licence — even if the finished product is made abroad.

China produces over 90% of the world’s processed rare earths, which are vital for EVs, aircraft engines, radars, and advanced chips. The new curbs come amid escalating U.S.–China tech tensions, following American calls to expand chip export bans.

Beijing said the rules will take effect November 8, with extra measures for foreign users from December 1. It also stated that defense-related users will not be granted licences, and chipmakers working on 14-nanometer or smaller chips and AI with military potential will face case-by-case reviews.

“The move helps Beijing gain leverage ahead of the Trump–Xi summit,” said Tim Zhang of Edge Research. Analysts described the controls as part of a global supply chain split, with China localizing production while the U.S. and allies accelerate their own.

Shares in Chinese and U.S. rare earth firms surged on the news, as investors braced for a new phase of strategic competition over the world’s most critical materials.

Google says over 100 firms likely hit in Oracle-linked hacking campaign

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Google warned that more than 100 companies may have been compromised in a massive cyberattack targeting Oracle’s E-Business Suite, a core system used by corporations to manage supply chains, customer data, and manufacturing operations.

In a statement released Thursday, Google said “mass amounts of customer data” were stolen in the attack, which may have begun three months ago. The company attributed the breach to the CL0P ransomware group, known for large-scale cyber intrusions exploiting third-party software vulnerabilities.

“This level of investment suggests the threat actor dedicated significant resources to pre-attack research,” Google’s cybersecurity division said. Analyst Austin Larsen added that while dozens of victims have been confirmed, “based on the scale of previous CL0P campaigns, it is likely there are over a hundred.”

The breach appears to have targeted Oracle’s E-Business Suite, used by corporations worldwide to manage sensitive operations including logistics, customer relations, and payments. Oracle has not publicly commented beyond acknowledging ongoing extortion attempts against some clients.

CL0P, which has previously claimed responsibility for major data thefts, told Reuters earlier this week that Oracle had “bugged up their core product.” The group is reportedly threatening to publish stolen data unless ransom demands are met.

Cyber experts say the scale of the attack could rival the MOVEit hack of 2023, underlining the growing risk of supply chain breaches that exploit trusted enterprise software systems.