Sales of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to China remain stalled nearly two months after US President Donald Trump approved the export, pending a US national security review.
As reported by the Financial Times on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Chinese customers will not place orders for further H200 chips from Nvidia until it is clear whether the license can be secured and under what conditions, the report says.
Meanwhile, NVIDIA and the US State Department did not immediately share a position.
In January 2026, the Department of Commerce eased export restrictions for the H200 to China, but license applications now require review by the U.S. Department of State, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy.
The Commerce Department completed its analysis, but the State Department called for stricter regulations to make it difficult for China to use the H200 chip in a way that undermines U.S. national security, according to the report.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said last week that he hopes China will allow the U.S. tech giant to sell its powerful H200 artificial intelligence chip in the country, with a license being finalized.
Reuters reported last month that China had approved the import of the first batch of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence chips, marking a shift in China’s position as it seeks to balance its AI needs with boosting domestic development.
