Chinese authorities have granted approval for the first imports of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence chips, signalling a cautious shift as Beijing seeks to meet rising demand for advanced computing power while continuing to support domestic chip development.
Sources familiar with the matter said leading technology firms, including ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent, have received clearance to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips collectively, with additional companies awaiting approval in subsequent rounds. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the process.
The approvals were granted during a visit to China this week by Nvidia’s Chief Executive Officer, Jensen Huang, according to the sources. At the time of publication, China’s industry and commerce authorities, Nvidia, and the companies involved had not issued official comments.
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Nvidia’s H200, the company’s second most powerful AI processor, has become a focal point in U.S.–China technology relations. Although Washington recently authorised exports of the chip to China, shipments remained stalled as Beijing deliberated on whether to permit imports.
Earlier this month, U.S. regulators formally cleared Nvidia to sell the H200 to Chinese buyers, where demand for advanced AI hardware is strong. However, final approval rests with Chinese authorities, who have been weighing the need to supply local firms against long-term ambitions to strengthen the domestic semiconductor industry.
Uncertainty had surrounded the approval process after Chinese customs officials previously indicated that the H200 would not be allowed into the country. Despite this, Chinese technology companies have reportedly placed orders exceeding two million units, far surpassing Nvidia’s available supply.
It remains unclear how many additional firms will be approved in future batches or what criteria regulators are applying to determine eligibility.
Analysts say the move suggests Beijing is prioritising major internet companies that are investing heavily in data centres to power artificial intelligence services and compete globally. While Chinese chipmakers, including Huawei, have developed processors comparable to Nvidia’s H20 previously the most advanced chip Nvidia was permitted to sell in China they continue to lag behind the H200 in performance.
The H200 is estimated to deliver around six times the computing capability of the H20, underscoring why access to the chip is viewed as strategically important for China’s leading technology firms.
