The US Commerce Department had approved sales of H200 chips to roughly 10 Chinese companies by mid-May 2026, but no deliveries had actually been made until now.
The long road from approval to delivery
Export approvals for Nvidia’s H200 chips trace back to a December 2025 decision under the Trump administration, which began loosening what had been some of the most aggressive semiconductor export restrictions in modern trade policy.
Those approvals included a 25% surcharge on the chips and mandatory inspection requirements, essentially making each sale more expensive and more scrutinized than a standard commercial transaction.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed back in March 2026 that the company had restarted manufacturing orders for Chinese clients after receiving the relevant licenses.
