NVIDIA H200 semiconductors from China still face shipment disruptions after obtaining export approval

The U.S. government has approved Chinese companies to purchase NVIDIA’s H200 AI semiconductors, but reports suggest that actual shipments to China have not yet taken place. Although export licenses have been granted, the delivery of goods remains stalled, indicating that U.S.-China technology controls and supply schedules continue to be key variables in the market.

Reuters reported on May 14 that the U.S. Department of Commerce has approved approximately ten Chinese companies to purchase H200 chips. It is understood that the approved entities include Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, JD.com, and others. Distributors such as Lenovo and Foxconn have also obtained sales permits. Chinese companies can purchase directly from NVIDIA or through such distribution networks.

A notable aspect of this approval is the purchase limit. According to sources, under the license conditions, each approved company can import up to 75k H200 chips. The H200 is a high-performance semiconductor used for large-scale AI training and service operations, with strong demand in cloud computing and generative AI markets. However, despite the sizable approved quantities, no shipments have been made, suggesting that administrative procedures, diplomatic schedules, or specific control conditions may still be restricting shipments.

Lenovo stated in a release to Reuters that, as one of the companies holding an NVIDIA export license, it has been approved to sell H200 chips in China. Reuters noted that this is the first confirmed list of specific companies approved by the U.S. government for procurement. This is interpreted as a case of the U.S. fine-tuning its semiconductor export controls to China, balancing between a full blockade and limited licensing.

Market expectations suggest that, with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang joining President Donald Trump’s visit to China at the last minute, the delay in H200 sales in China may be alleviated. AI semiconductors are not ordinary electronic components but strategic materials directly related to national competitiveness, so supply decisions cannot be made solely based on corporate contracts. This trend indicates that whether actual shipments can resume in the future may depend on the strength of U.S. technology controls over China and changes in U.S.-China diplomatic relations.