China weighs allowing ByteDance, Alibaba to buy new Nvidia chips, The Information reports

Business Recorder carried a report from The Information, published Sunday, saying Beijing may permit domestic technology groups such as ByteDance and Alibaba to purchase Nvidia's RTX PRO 5500, a chip designed for high-end professional computers. The account relied on two informed sources. Reuters said it had not been able to verify the details independently.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reportedly asked a group of firms, including ByteDance and Alibaba, to submit plans for buying the RTX PRO 5500. Some companies were told the government intends to sign off on those purchases. Some industry executives believe the chip could fall outside US export restrictions.

Nvidia responded by saying American companies still face limits from export rules that cover gaming products launched almost half a decade ago, along with China's own curbs on US imports. Alibaba and ByteDance had not replied to requests for comment, and Reuters could not reach the Chinese government.