According to Reuters, Nvidia has informed Chinese clients of plans to ship H200 AI chips to China before the mid-February Lunar New Year holiday, using existing stock for initial orders totaling 5,000 to 10,000 chip modules, equivalent to 40,000 to 80,000 chips, pending Beijing approval.
Three people familiar with the matter disclosed these details to Reuters. The first and second sources specified the shipment volumes from current inventory. This initiative follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement allowing such sales with a 25 percent fee, marking the first potential deliveries of these chips to China.
Nvidia additionally communicated plans to expand production capacity for the H200. According to the third source, orders for this new capacity will open in the second quarter of 2026. These steps aim to meet anticipated demand from authorized Chinese customers.
Significant uncertainties surround the timeline and execution. Beijing has not approved any H200 purchases to date. Government decisions could alter schedules or volumes. The third source emphasized, “Nothing is certain until we get the official go‑ahead.”
In response to Reuters inquiries, Nvidia issued a statement affirming its supply chain management practices. The company declared, “we continuously manage our supply chain. Licensed sales of the H200 to authorised customers in China will have no impact on our ability to supply customers in the United States.” China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The planned shipments align with recent U.S. policy developments. Reuters reported last week that the Trump administration initiated an inter-agency review of license applications for H200 sales to China. This action fulfills Trump’s pledge and contrasts with the Biden administration’s ban on advanced AI chip sales to China, imposed due to national security concerns.
The H200 belongs to Nvidia’s previous-generation Hopper architecture. It continues to see widespread use in artificial intelligence applications. Production has shifted toward the newer Blackwell chips and the upcoming Rubin line, resulting in limited H200 availability globally.
Trump’s policy adjustment occurs as China accelerates development of its domestic AI chip sector. Local companies have not yet produced processors matching the H200’s capabilities. Officials express concerns that importing these chips might hinder progress in building indigenous technology.
Earlier this month, Chinese officials convened emergency meetings to address the potential influx of H200 chips. Discussions focused on approval conditions for shipments. Reuters reported one proposal under consideration: requiring each H200 purchase to include a specified ratio of domestically produced chips.
Prominent Chinese technology firms have shown strong interest in acquiring H200 units. Alibaba Group, listed as 9988.HK, and ByteDance number among those clients. For these companies, the H200 offers processors approximately six times more powerful than the H20, a version Nvidia specifically adapted and downgraded for the Chinese market.
