New Delhi: The United States has confirmed that Nvidia’s powerful H200 artificial intelligence chip has not yet been sold to Chinese companies, despite recent moves to soften export restrictions. The clarification came during a congressional hearing, raising fresh questions about the future of US-China tech trade.
The development follows earlier statements from US President Donald Trump, who said in December that he had reached an understanding with Chinese President Xi Jinping to ease certain curbs. However, lawmakers remain cautious, warning that advanced AI chips could strengthen China’s military and technological capabilities.
No H200 sales so far
During a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Commerce Department export enforcement official David Peters said that, to his knowledge, no H200 chips have been sold to Chinese end-users. His remarks indicate that regulatory and licensing hurdles are still in place.
The H200 chip had previously been restricted due to national security concerns. Although a new agreement was confirmed in January, the deal includes strict conditions. Reports suggest that these requirements have slowed or complicated shipment approvals.
Deal structure and licensing delays
Under the new setup, the US government would have gotten 25 per cent of the sales in exporting H200 to China. Although release licensing approvals are underway, the framework is in place.
According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the H200 export licence is being figured out. He also said that the company has hopes to re-enter the Chinese market and be able to compete equally. Huang admitted that China has a number of strong domestic chipmakers, which contributes to the high competition in the market.
China pushes domestic chip ambitions
In the meantime, China is moving at an increased pace in semiconductor development. Beijing has also spent a lot of money on the construction of localised versions of the AI processors that are manufactured by Nvidia, which is the leader in the industry.
It is interesting to note that the most sophisticated chips by Nvidia, including those of the Blackwell series and the new Rubin series, are not yet allowed to be sold in China. These luxury goods did not form part of the H200 deal and are still under strict export restrictions.
NVIDIA has not given an official response on the recent congressional remarks.