The US Commerce Department has permitted 10 Chinese firms, including Alibaba and TikTok's parent company ByteDance, to purchase NVIDIA's H200 AI processors. However, deliveries have not yet occurred, with China reportedly halting purchases due to unclear US policy changes and concerns about hidden vulnerabilities in the chips.
China has declined to purchase Nvidia's H200 AI chip, with President Trump confirming Beijing's desire to develop its own technology. Despite US Commerce Department clearance for Chinese firms to import the chip, a 25% fee and inspection clause remain sticking points.
Sen. Chris Coons pressed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about Nvidia's H200 AI chip exports to China, citing contradictory statements. Lutnick said the US has not sold any H200 chips to Chinese companies, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claimed in March that approvals were obtained from both governments. Coons expressed deep concern about national security risks and requested detailed information on licensed and shipped chips within a week.
