A senior United States official has confirmed that advanced artificial-intelligence chips produced by Nvidia have not been delivered to companies in China despite a recent easing of export restrictions.
The H200 processor, designed to power and train complex AI systems, had previously been barred from Chinese markets due to national-security concerns in Washington.
Former US President Donald Trump had announced late last year that he reached an understanding with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to relax certain controls on semiconductor exports. However, some American lawmakers warned that such a move could indirectly strengthen China’s military capabilities.
Speaking before a congressional committee, US Commerce Department export enforcement official David Peters said that, based on available information, none of the H200 chips had been sold to Chinese end-users so far.
The arrangement governing the chip sales — under which the US government would receive a percentage of revenue — was confirmed earlier in the year. Nonetheless, strict licensing requirements and approval conditions have reportedly slowed or blocked shipments.
Meanwhile, China continues to intensify domestic semiconductor development in a bid to compete with leading chip manufacturers such as Nvidia, currently one of the world’s most valuable technology firms.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang recently indicated that export licensing for the H200 was still being finalised, adding that the company hopes Chinese authorities will eventually allow sales in the market.
He noted that Nvidia intends to compete actively in China, where several strong local chipmakers are expanding production. However, Nvidia’s most powerful next-generation processors, including the Blackwell line and upcoming Rubin series, remain prohibited from being sold to China under existing US restrictions.
