China has allowed leading artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek to purchase Nvidia’s advanced H200 AI chips, ending a long-standing restriction linked to rising tensions between the United States and China.
According to Reuters, Chinese regulators have approved the move, although final licensing conditions remain under review. The decision signals a possible easing of bilateral friction between the two rival nations, particularly in the strategically sensitive technology sector.
NVIDIA’s AI processors sit at the core of global advances in artificial intelligence. The H200 chip ranks as the company’s second most powerful model and plays a central role in high-performance AI training and data processing.
Earlier reports said major Chinese technology firms, including ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent, received approval to acquire more than 400,000 H200 chips combined.
NVIDIA Awaits Formal Clearance
Despite the reported approvals, Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, said in Taipei that Chinese authorities had not formally notified the company. He added that Nvidia remains hopeful that Beijing will complete the licensing process soon.
Exclusive: China conditionally approves DeepSeek to buy Nvidia's H200 chips – sources https://t.co/md8fHczhx8 https://t.co/md8fHczhx8 pic.twitter.com/HXQRIh7d9h
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 30, 2026Sources cited by Reuters said China’s industry and commerce ministries cleared the purchases but attached conditions that are still under consideration by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
Read: China Approves Import of Nvidia H200 AI Chips
DeepSeek’s Rapid Rise
DeepSeek gained international attention last year after launching AI models trained at a fraction of the cost of those developed by U.S.-based rivals such as OpenAI. Analysts view the company as a symbol of China’s growing ambition to reduce dependence on foreign AI technologies.
Access to Nvidia’s H200 chips could significantly boost DeepSeek’s computing power and accelerate domestic AI development.
AI chips have become a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, with Washington imposing export controls to limit China’s access to cutting-edge semiconductors. The United States recently cleared a path for Nvidia to sell the H200 chips to China, though Chinese authorities still need to finalise shipping approvals.
Industry observers say the latest decision reflects a cautious recalibration rather than a full policy shift. Even so, it marks a notable moment in the evolving relationship between technology and the world’s two largest economies.
