China has begun approving imports of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence chips, clearing a path for the first batch of shipments after weeks of uncertainty for Chinese tech buyers. The approval covers more than 400,000 H200 units that were reportedly allocated to ByteDance, Alibaba Group Holding, and Tencent Holdings, while other firms are still waiting for additional approvals.
The development comes as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visits China this week, according to a Reuters report cited by multiple outlets. The same reporting says the approved volume is around 400,000 units and that some companies are still awaiting clearance to import the chips.
What China approved and who gets chips
Beijing has started approving imports of Nvidia’s H200 graphics processing units (GPUs), according to two sources familiar with the matter cited in reporting. The approvals reportedly cover more than 400,000 H200 chips for ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent.
Other companies are said to be waiting for approval, and reporting reviewed here did not provide a full list of additional firms. Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to the same coverage.
Why the approval matters now
The reported approvals are described as ending “regulatory uncertainty” around imports of Nvidia’s H200, which one outlet described as the US company’s second most powerful AI chip. The uncertainty referenced in that reporting centered on whether shipments would be allowed into China and cleared by authorities.
One analysis quoted in coverage framed the move as strategic. “Beijing’s approval of the H200 is driven by purely strategic motives,” said Alex Capri, a senior lecturer at National University of Singapore’s business school, according to the report. Capri added, “Ultimately, this decision is taken to further China’s indigenous capabilities and, by extension, the competitive capabilities of China tech.”
US export rules and China’s import steps
The reporting also describes shifting rules and restrictions affecting the chip’s path from the US to China. It said the US government had banned exports of the H200 to China, but that late last year—under a decision by President Donald Trump—relevant rules were revised to allow exports to China after individual reviews.
At the same time, the coverage says China imposed import restrictions by ordering customs to block clearance of the H200 and by pressuring buyers to halt purchases. The combination of these factors contributed to uncertainty for large Chinese buyers seeking advanced AI hardware.
Jensen Huang’s China trip in focus
The approval news surfaced as Jensen Huang visited Shanghai and Shenzhen ahead of China’s Lunar New Year holiday, according to the reporting. Hong Kong media also reported that Huang visited Nvidia’s Shanghai branch and a market on January 24, according to the same account.
With approvals reportedly beginning, the focus now shifts to how quickly additional firms receive permission and whether further batches are cleared. Reporting cited here says some companies remain in line for approvals beyond the initial allocation.
