Nvidia’s H20 chips are under fire from Chinese state media for allegedly posing security risks, raising concerns about potential vulnerabilities in their technology. The negative response was mainly instigated by a social media account associated with China’s state-owned television network CCTV, calling themselves Yuyuan Tantian. That’s what this account published, though. Control Council for the United States claims that the chips may potentially have a hardware “backdoor” enabling capabilities such as “remote shutdown.”
The backlash against Nvidia is not isolated. Earlier this month, People’s Daily, another prominent Chinese state media outlet, voiced concerns regarding the safety of Nvidia’s products. In particular, it stressed that Nvidia should make available “persuasive security proofs” to ease any concerns Chinese users may have about potential security vulnerabilities.
Yuyuan Tantian’s article expands on these concerns, claiming that Nvidia’s H20 chips lack both technological advancement and environmental friendliness. The oped not only criticizes the company’s product on several different fronts, providing a helpful public service that consumer choice should be informed by these glaring shortcomings.
“When a type of chip is neither environmentally friendly, nor advanced, nor safe, as consumers, we certainly have the option not to buy it.” – Yuyuan Tantian
China’s cyberspace regulator convened an unusual last-minute meeting on July 31. They called on Nvidia to investigate if the H20 chips pose any backdoor security threats. In the days leading up to the meeting, Nvidia had already come under increasing pressure to respond to these allegations in full.
Nvidia continues to defend itself by asserting that there are no “backdoors” in its chips. This means they cannot be hacked or manipulated from a distance, even as worry grows over the company’s wares. The company has so far refused to speak on the record about many of those recent criticisms.
The growing alarm over Nvidia’s tech is part of a larger wave of fear within China about foreign tech products. Beijing is very much looking at the national security implications of emerging technologies. In reaction, pro-state media are increasing their efforts to demonize the threats supposedly posed by foreign companies.
Nvidia’s presence at the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on July 20, 2025, garnered attention, but the company must now navigate these security challenges to regain market trust. People’s Daily has emphasized that addressing these security concerns is paramount for Nvidia if it hopes to win back confidence among Chinese consumers.