China Greenlights Nvidia H200 Imports to Bolster AI Sector
China has authorized the import of Nvidia's H200 AI chips, marking a strategic pivot in its semiconductor policy. Tech giants Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance secured approval to purchase nearly 421,000 units, signaling a calculated balance between foreign procurement and domestic production goals.
The decision follows high-level talks with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his recent China visit. While the H200's superiority over local alternatives like Huawei's H20 is undisputed, Beijing continues to incentivize homegrown semiconductor development alongside controlled foreign acquisitions.