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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.

Huawei unveils censorship-optimized DeepSeek model with Zhejiang University

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Huawei announced it has co-developed a new safety-focused version of DeepSeek, trained to block politically sensitive or harmful content in line with Chinese government regulations requiring AI to reflect “socialist values.” The model, named DeepSeek-R1-Safe, was trained using 1,000 Huawei Ascend AI chips in partnership with Zhejiang University, though DeepSeek and its founder Liang Wenfeng were not directly involved.

The move underscores how China’s AI industry is embracing and modifying DeepSeek’s open-source R1 model, which stunned global markets earlier this year for its sophistication and low reported training costs. Chinese companies like Baidu have already adopted strict filtering in their AI chatbots, such as Ernie Bot, to avoid sensitive political topics.

Huawei claimed DeepSeek-R1-Safe achieved “nearly 100% success” in blocking toxic content, politically sensitive discussions, and incitement to illegal activities. However, the success rate dropped to 40% under disguised prompts, such as role-play or coded inputs. On average, its comprehensive defense rate was 83%, outperforming competitors like Alibaba’s Qwen-235B and the larger DeepSeek-R1-671B by 8–15%.

Huawei said the new model maintained strong performance, with less than a 1% drop compared to the original DeepSeek-R1, despite the added safety layers.

The launch comes during Huawei’s annual Connect conference in Shanghai, where the company also revealed detailed chipmaking roadmaps and new computing power initiatives—part of China’s broader effort to reduce reliance on U.S. technologies while aligning AI systems with domestic political and social controls.

Apple’s iPhone 17 launch draws long queues in Beijing, Pro Max tipped as bestseller

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Apple’s new iPhone 17 launch attracted large crowds in Beijing on Friday, with around 300 customers lining up outside the flagship Sanlitun store to collect pre-ordered devices. The turnout suggests a promising start for Apple in China, its second-largest market, where it has faced declining shipments and fierce competition from local rivals Xiaomi and Huawei.

Among those queuing, 35-year-old Shuke Wang picked up the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which starts at 9,999 yuan ($1,406) and is expected by analysts to be the top-selling model of the series. Wang praised the redesign but noted the orange version looked “too flashy.” Apple highlights the Pro Max’s extended battery life as a key feature.

The base iPhone 17 offers a brighter, more scratch-resistant screen and an upgraded front-facing camera optimized for horizontal selfies. Meanwhile, the iPhone Air model introduces support for eSIM in China—pending regulatory approval from the country’s telecom giants—though Apple has not opened pre-sales for it. Analysts view the Air as a testing ground for slim designs that may eventually feed into foldable iPhones, though compromises in battery, camera, and audio quality could dampen its appeal among Chinese consumers.

Apple’s shipments in China fell 6% year-on-year in Q3, according to Counterpoint Research, but analysts predict a rebound. Omdia expects iPhone shipments in China to climb 11% in the second half of 2025, helping Apple to a 5% global full-year growth. The Pro Max model, driven by its major redesign, is projected to outperform last year’s 16 Pro Max and dominate Apple’s sales in China by 2026.