Key Points:
- A U.S. Commerce official confirmed zero H200 sales to China.
- David Peters made the statement during a congressional hearing.
- The H200 is Nvidia’s second most powerful artificial intelligence chip.
- Strict export controls remain in place to protect national security.
A top official from the U.S. Commerce Department confirmed on Tuesday that China has not received any of Nvidia’s powerful H200 chips. Despite high demand for artificial intelligence hardware, American export controls have successfully blocked the sale of these advanced semiconductors to Chinese customers so far.
David Peters, the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, delivered the update during a congressional hearing. When lawmakers asked him directly about the status of these prized components, his answer was clear. “My understanding is that none so far,” Peters told the committee. This statement confirms that the regulatory wall the United States built around its best technology is currently holding firm.
The Nvidia H200 is a critical piece of hardware in the modern tech world. It stands as the company’s second most advanced chip, designed specifically for artificial intelligence workloads. Tech firms use these processors to train massive AI models, similar to the technology behind ChatGPT. Because these chips are so powerful, the U.S. government worries they could help foreign militaries improve their capabilities.
Washington has spent the last few years tightening the rules on what American companies can ship overseas. The goal is to keep the most cutting-edge tools out of the hands of geopolitical rivals. While Nvidia creates specific, less powerful chips to sell to the Chinese market legally, the H200 falls under strict restrictions due to its high performance.
This confirmation comes at a time of intense competition. Chinese technology firms are desperate to get their hands on advanced computing power to keep up in the global AI race. However, without access to hardware like the H200 or the even stronger Blackwell chips, their progress faces significant speed bumps.
For Nvidia, this situation represents a balancing act. The company must follow U.S. law while navigating a global market that is hungry for its products. Peters’ comments suggest that enforcement agencies are watching every transaction closely to ensure no sensitive technology slips through the cracks.
