China Sales of H200 Chip ‘Appears to Be Stuck’ on China’s Side, Says Inventec

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Jan 23, 2026 - 10:59 Updated: Jan 23, 2026 - 10:51
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China Sales of H200 Chip ‘Appears to Be Stuck’ on China’s Side, Says Inventec

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Beijing appears to be holding up the decision on whether Nvidia can sell its H200 artificial intelligence chip in China, Nvidia’s business partner, server maker Inventec, said on Jan. 20.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced last month that he would allow some shipments of H200 chips to China for the first time. The policy was formalized last week, but according to Reuters, China’s customs agents were told not to clear the chip at the time.

Speaking at a press conference in Taipei on Jan. 20, Inventec President Jack Tsai said Beijing had not yet allowed importation of the H200.

“It depends on the political direction, because the issue ultimately comes down to whether China allows it. Basically, the United States is open to it, but at the moment it appears to be stuck on the China side,” he said.

“We will continue to communicate with [Chinese] customers, and if it is allowed, we will do it. If not, there is nothing we can do, because we cannot violate regulations.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Nvidia for comment and did not hear back by publication time.

Inventec is a Taiwanese multinational corporation that makes laptops and servers that incorporate Nvidia products including the H200.

The Trump and Biden administrations have imposed controls on the export of advanced chips made by Nvidia and other manufacturers, as the United States seeks to maintain its lead on artificial intelligence (AI) and curb China’s military advancement.

Nvidia previously made downgraded versions of its H100 and H200 chips for the Chinese market in order to adhere to a U.S. ban on the export of its most advanced chips to China.

The Trump administration banned the sale of Nvidia’s downgraded chips to China last year but later reversed the ban. Beijing targeted the chip maker, alleging that the company violated anti-monopoly law and that its chips had “security risks linked to back doors.” Nvidia denied both allegations.
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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said he hopes to sell the company’s current flagship chip, Blackwell, to China. He previously argued that China is catching up on AI and will continue to do so with or without Nvidia’s chips.
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Trump said in November that he won’t allow the export of Blackwell chips to China. In December, he green-lit the sales of H200 chips to approved customers in China “under conditions that allow for continued strong National Security,” saying on social media that the policy “will support American Jobs, strengthen U.S. Manufacturing, and benefit American Taxpayers.”
The decision drew opposition from some U.S. lawmakers who said they were concerned it “undercuts” national security.
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Under the new rules announced last week, in order to sell advanced chips to China, Nvidia and other exporters will have to certify that there are sufficient supplies in the United States, and a qualified third-party testing lab will test each shipment to confirm the chips’ performance.
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