China approves DeepSeek to buy Nvidia H200 AI chips under conditions
China approves DeepSeek to buy Nvidia H200 AI chips under conditions
China approves DeepSeek's purchase of Nvidia H200 AI chips with regulatory conditions awaiting finalisation, signaling a breakthrough amid US-China tech tensions.
China has granted its top AI startup DeepSeek approval to buy Nvidia’s H200 chips, with regulatory conditions still being finalised by state planners. Four Chinese tech giants—DeepSeek, ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent—have been cleared to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips in total. The conditions are being decided by the National Development and Reform Commission, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The H200, Nvidia’s second most powerful AI chip, has become a focal point in U.S.-China tech tensions. Beijing’s import hesitancy has limited shipments despite strong demand from Chinese firms, but the new approvals suggest a pragmatic path forward as regulators work out the final license terms.
Nvidia has not commented on DeepSeek’s approval. With the licences still being finalised, industry observers say the move could help accelerate China’s AI development while keeping tight regulatory oversight in place.
