Commerce Secretary Lutnick Confirms Nvidia Has Sold No H200 AI Chips to China

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed Nvidia completed no sales of its H200 AI chips to Chinese buyers.

The statement came during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Lutnick addressed questions on export controls for advanced semiconductors. He noted U.S. approvals carry strict licensing terms. Those conditions prevent actual shipments despite preliminary clearances.

Nvidia received permission last December to market H200 processors in China. The Trump administration imposed a 25 percent tariff on those transactions. Chinese firms sought over 400,000 units from companies including Alibaba and Tencent. No orders converted to deliveries.

Lutnick emphasized guardrails around the sales process. Third-party testing verifies chip performance before export. Buyers pledge non-military use. Volume caps limit China to half the supply allocated to U.S. customers.

The policy reversal followed trade talks between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping. Nvidia restarted H200 production for potential Chinese demand. Chief Executive Jensen Huang ramped up output after strong interest signals.

Regulatory hurdles persist on both sides. Beijing granted conditional approvals but tied them to national security reviews. U.S. officials designed the framework to maintain American technological edge.

Lutnick deferred to Trump on enforcement trust. He described the terms as comprehensive, developed with State Department input. Nvidia operates under ongoing compliance obligations.

Market reaction stayed muted. Nvidia shares traded flat after the hearing. Investors weigh export revenue against broader AI demand growth.

The confirmation underscores friction in bilateral tech trade. U.S. policy balances revenue capture with security risks. Chinese demand exceeds available supply under current limits.

No timeline emerged for first H200 deliveries. Lutnick reiterated commitment to detailed oversight.