China has approved the import of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence chips for leading technology firms, sources said.
The approval covers purchases by ByteDance, Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings, according to the sources.
The move allows the firms to buy Nvidia’s H200 chips despite U.S. export restrictions.
The H200 is a modified version designed to comply with U.S. controls, the sources said.
However, the approval applies only to the first batch of shipments.
Meanwhile, the quantity of chips approved was not disclosed.
China’s decision follows months of uncertainty for local companies seeking advanced AI hardware.
Because of U.S. rules, Nvidia cannot sell its most powerful chips to Chinese customers.
As a result, Nvidia developed downgraded models for the China market.
The H200 is one such product, designed to meet regulatory limits.
In addition, Chinese companies have increased demand for compliant AI chips.
That demand comes as firms expand cloud services and large-scale AI models.
Despite this approval, future imports may still face delays or reviews.
Meanwhile, Nvidia continues to adapt products for restricted markets.
The company has not publicly commented on the approval, Reuters reported.
Source: Reuters
