China Grants Conditional Approval for Nvidia H200 Chip Purchases Amid U.S.-China Tensions
China's National Development and Reform Commission has conditionally approved DeepSeek, ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent to purchase Nvidia's H200 AI chips. The regulatory terms remain under negotiation, with over 400,000 chips earmarked for the latter three companies. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed the company has yet to receive official notification, suggesting Beijing is still finalizing licensing details.
The H200 chips have become a geopolitical flashpoint, with U.S. lawmakers expressing concerns about potential military applications. Nvidia denies these allegations, maintaining compliance with export controls. The approvals demonstrate China's determination to secure advanced AI hardware despite U.S. restrictions, creating a complex landscape for semiconductor trade.