Archive · 3 Sep 2026
Lutnick Says China Ignored Trump Offer for Advanced AI Chips
The United States offered to sell some advanced computer chips to China.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said China has not accepted the offer.
He said China had concerns about the deal.
Because the offer was not accepted, Lutnick said the United States probably will not loosen its technology rules.
These rules limit China’s access to certain chips and chip-making equipment.
The United States says the controls can help prevent technology from supporting military or surveillance activities.
Lutnick said companies can make enforcement difficult by sharing computing power through several middlemen.
He also said artificial intelligence could help US officials track who is using American data centers.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said China has not accepted an offer to buy advanced US H200 and comparable AI chips.
Lutnick said further easing of technology export controls is unlikely to be discussed at an expected Trump-Xi meeting.
He said China expressed concerns about the offer and had not purchased the chips.
Lutnick acknowledged that enforcing export controls is difficult because computing access can pass through companies and intermediaries.
US officials said they want to share American chips, AI models and applications with partners, friends and allies.
- Who
- US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House science advisor Michael Kratsios, China, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
- What
- Lutnick said China has not accepted Trump’s offer to buy advanced American AI chips and argued that further export-control relaxation is unnecessary.
- When
- The remarks followed the G20 Innovation Ministerial; the articles do not provide a specific date.
- Where
- At a joint press conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
- Why
- The United States uses export controls to restrict access to technology it says could strengthen China’s military and surveillance capabilities; Lutnick said the proposed chip sale had not achieved its intended purpose.
US Export-Control Position
China’s Concerns and Technology Access
Whether controls should be relaxed
US Export-Control Position
Lutnick argued that further relaxation is unnecessary because China did not accept the proposed chip sale.
China’s Concerns and Technology Access
China expressed concerns about the offer, but the articles do not specify the nature of those concerns or provide a broader Chinese position on relaxing controls.
Access to American AI technology
US Export-Control Position
US officials said they want partners, friends and allies to use American chips, models and applications while limiting access that Washington says could support China’s military and surveillance capabilities.
China’s Concerns and Technology Access
China has not purchased the offered chips, according to Lutnick, and the articles indicate that Beijing remains concerned about the proposed arrangement.
- US official
- Howard Lutnick, US Commerce Secretary
- Chip offer
- H200 chips and comparable chips from AMD and other companies
- China’s response
- China expressed concerns and had not purchased the chips, according to Lutnick
- Expected meeting
- Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are expected to meet, but Lutnick said further easing of controls was unlikely
- Enforcement challenge
- Companies and governments can use remote access, data-center leasing and multiple intermediaries to obtain computing power
- Proposed enforcement tool
- Lutnick said AI could help examine data-center users and improve enforcement
- US technology strategy
- The administration wants to share US chips, models and applications with partners, friends and allies