"Chinese Government May Approve H200 Imports as Early as Q1"

Bloomberg Cites Anonymous Sources
Authorities Preparing to Approve H200 Purchases for Commercial Use Only
Some Say "Significant Restrictions Remain" and Offer Opposing Views

NVIDIA logo and the flag of China. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

According to foreign media reports, Chinese authorities may approve the purchase of NVIDIA's artificial intelligence (AI) chip 'H200' for certain commercial uses as early as the first quarter of this year. However, there are also opposing views suggesting that significant restrictions and variables remain before actual approval is granted.

On January 8 (local time), Bloomberg News, citing multiple anonymous sources, reported that Chinese officials are preparing to allow domestic companies to purchase the H200 for specific commercial purposes.

The sources stated that for security reasons, the use of the H200 will be prohibited for military purposes, sensitive government agencies, critical infrastructure, and state-owned enterprises. If these organizations still attempt to use the H200, it is reported that applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Previously, the Chinese government had taken measures to prevent the military, sensitive government agencies, critical infrastructure, and state-owned enterprises from purchasing products from Apple or Micron. A notable example is when, in 2023, the Chinese government extended its ban on iPhones from civil servants to employees of state-owned enterprises and public institutions.

Typically, Chinese private companies provide computing services to state-owned enterprises or government agencies. Bloomberg noted that it remains unclear how the authorities will define critical infrastructure.

It has been reported that Chinese companies rushed to place purchase orders for the H200 after U.S. President Donald Trump allowed its sale to China. According to one source, Chinese tech giants Alibaba and ByteDance have each informally expressed their intention to order more than 20 H200 units from NVIDIA.

In contrast, on January 7, the U.S. information technology (IT) media outlet The Information, citing multiple sources, reported that the Chinese government had instructed companies to suspend their plans to purchase the H200 for the time being. Authorities are reportedly considering whether to require companies to purchase a certain proportion of Chinese-made chips when buying the H200.

NVIDIA stated at the 'CES 2026'-the world's largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, which opened in Las Vegas on January 6-that it has not had direct discussions with the Chinese government regarding the approval process and does not know the timing of approval. The company added that it has applied for an export license from the U.S. government and is in the final stages of seeking approval.

During his keynote speech at the event, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang revealed the latest AI accelerator, 'Vera Rubin,' and stated that "demand for the H200 chip in China is extremely high."