Beijing has asked some Chinese tech companies to halt orders for Nvidia’s H200 chips this week, and is expected to mandate domestic artificial intelligence chip purchases, the Information reported yesterday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Nvidia has been caught between Washington and Beijing, as the United States tightens controls on exports of advanced semiconductors used in AI, while Chinese companies seek to reduce reliance on US-designed chips.
Tensions over technology trade have been a central feature of broader US-China conflicts, with semiconductors emerging as a strategic flashpoint.
China’s directive to suspend orders was issued as the government considers whether, and under what conditions, to allow access to Nvidia’s high-performance chips.
Beijing is aiming to discourage local technology companies from rushing to stockpile US chips before a decision is reached, the report said.
China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also did not immediately return calls outside business hours.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026) this week that demand in China for its H200 chip was strong and the company is viewing purchase orders as a signal of approval rather than expecting any formal announcement from Beijing.
US export licences for the chips are still being processed, with no set timeline.
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