NVIDIA Awaits China's Final Nod for H200 AI Chip Sales, CEO Jensen Huang Says
TAIPEI — NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) is still awaiting final licensing approval from Chinese authorities to sell its latest H200 artificial intelligence chip in the market, CEO Jensen Huang said on Thursday. The comment comes amid heightened scrutiny over advanced technology exports and their role in the strategic competition between Washington and Beijing.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei after a series of meetings with Chinese officials and industry partners, Huang expressed optimism but noted the decision rests with regulators. "We are engaged in the process and expect a resolution soon," Huang stated. "The H200 represents significant performance gains, and its adoption would benefit both China's AI ecosystem and the continued pace of global innovation."
Earlier reports from Reuters suggested that Chinese regulators had conditionally approved large-scale purchases of over 400,000 H200 chips by domestic giants including ByteDance, Alibaba Group, and Tencent. However, Huang clarified that NVIDIA has not received formal notification of such approvals and considers the matter still under review.
The licensing delay highlights the complex trade environment for high-end semiconductors. U.S. export controls aim to limit China's access to cutting-edge AI chips, while Chinese firms seek to maintain competitiveness in generative AI and large language models. Huang acknowledged the competitive pressure from capable domestic chipmakers but emphasized NVIDIA's readiness to meet demand. "Should approval come through, we are prepared to work closely with TSMC and other partners to ensure supply," he added.
When asked about future investments, Huang noted he would be open to investing in OpenAI at the right opportunity, underscoring his continued focus on the AI frontier.
NVIDIA's stock has risen nearly 2% year-to-date, reflecting investor confidence in its dominant market position despite regulatory headwinds.
Industry Reactions
Michael Chen, Tech Analyst at Horizon Insights: "This is a classic regulatory limbo. Chinese tech firms clearly want the H200 to train their models, but Beijing is weighing self-sufficiency goals against immediate performance needs. The delay isn't surprising."
Sarah Lin, Portfolio Manager at Global Growth Capital: "From an investment standpoint, NVIDIA's ability to navigate these geopolitics is already priced in to some extent. The larger story is their software and ecosystem lock-in, which remains robust."
David Park, Founder of TechSovereignty Watch: "This is just another chapter in the decoupling playbook. The U.S. shouldn't be allowing any loopholes—selling these chips ultimately fuels China's AI ambitions, which are not aligned with our security interests. Huang's talk of 'benefiting both sides' is naive at best."
Dr. Evelyn Reed, AI Researcher at Stanford: "The technical gap is real. If Chinese firms can't access the H200, their next-best alternatives are significantly less efficient, which could slow down overall progress in areas like climate modeling or drug discovery where collaboration would be ideal."