U.S. Approves Nvidia H200 AI Chip Exports to China Under New Controls
GeokHub
Washington | Jan 13 — GeokHub The United States has approved the export of Nvidia’s advanced H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, marking a significant shift in U.S. technology trade policy under the Trump administration despite ongoing national security concerns.
Under newly issued regulations, shipments of the H200—Nvidia’s second most powerful AI processor—will be allowed only after undergoing verification by a third-party testing laboratory. The review is designed to confirm the chips’ technical specifications and ensure compliance with export restrictions before delivery to Chinese buyers.
The rules also cap China’s access to the chips, limiting shipments to no more than 50% of the total volume sold to U.S. customers. Nvidia will be required to certify that sufficient H200 supply remains available for domestic demand, while Chinese customers must demonstrate adequate security safeguards and commit not to using the chips for military purposes.
Neither Nvidia nor China’s embassy in Washington immediately commented on the decision.
President Donald Trump announced last month that the administration would allow the chip sales in exchange for a 25% fee paid to the U.S. government, a move that drew sharp criticism from lawmakers and national security experts across party lines. Critics argue that exporting advanced AI hardware could strengthen China’s military capabilities and weaken America’s technological edge.
Those concerns had previously driven restrictions imposed under the Biden administration, which barred exports of cutting-edge AI chips to China. However, Trump administration officials, led by White House AI adviser David Sacks, have defended the policy shift, arguing that controlled exports could slow China’s push to develop domestic alternatives.
U.S. officials say allowing limited access to Nvidia’s chips may discourage Chinese firms—particularly heavily sanctioned companies such as Huawei—from accelerating efforts to rival the most advanced AI designs produced by Nvidia and AMD.
When announcing the policy, President Trump said the exports would proceed under conditions that preserve “strong national security.” Still, questions remain over how strictly the limits will be enforced and whether Chinese regulators will permit the chips to be deployed domestically.
