The U.S. government has agreed to green light Nvidia’s China business – and with Nvidia chip sales to China approved, Washington is easing restrictions that were designed to stop Beijing gaining an industrial and military edge. The U.S. Department of Commerce says Nvidia can now ship its H200 advanced AI chip, reopening a lucrative market under tighter terms.
This isn’t a full rollback. The H200 is Nvidia’s second-most advanced semiconductor, sitting behind Nvidia’s newest Blackwell chips, which remain blocked from China. In other words: Beijing can buy powerful hardware, but not the best.
At the core of the agreement are several stipulations and a Trumpian deal. Exports can only move forward if America has a big enough supply of H200 chips at home. Chinese buyers must also prove they have adequate security controls and must commit to non-military use.
President Donald Trump added his touch by stipulating that the government will also take a 25% cut. While unusual in international trade, some analysts are saying this could be a model for future tariff-style negotiations.
Nvidia has welcomed the sale, arguing that renewed business with China supports manufacturing and job creation in the U.S. The company has spent much of 2025 lobbying for looser rules, with CEO Jensen Huang repeatedly pushing that global scale matters for U.S. competitiveness in AI.
China – perhaps predictably – isn’t impressed. A Chinese embassy spokesperson criticized the move as politicizing tech trade and warned that the restrictions on chip exports undermine supply chain stability.
With Nvidia chip sales to China approved, Chinese firms can chalk up a practical win. Demand for H200 chips will likely be strong – at least until a domestic alternative closes the gap. For Nvidia it’s a boost to revenue, but one that comes under tighter oversight and thinner margins. For AI, this signals the race is still on. Only now, Washington is charging a rake.
