The US Commerce Department has reportedly permitted 10 Chinese companies, including Alibaba, Tencent, and JD.com, to purchase NVIDIA's H200 AI chips, a significant move following earlier restrictions aimed at preventing military advancements in China. Although this approval was granted, NVIDIA has yet to deliver any chips. In December 2025, the US government allowed NVIDIA to sell H200 processors to approved customers in China, following a prior ban. China had agreed to import several hundred thousand H200 chips, with initial shipments intended for three unnamed internet companies. Each approved company can acquire up to 75,000 chips either directly from NVIDIA or through intermediaries, but purchases have stalled due to guidance from the Chinese government. This guidance appears to be a response to evolving US policies, although the specifics remain unclear. Meanwhile, Chinese firms are increasingly investing in developing their own chips to foster a self-sufficient semiconductor industry, as the government expresses concerns over potential vulnerabilities in the H200 chips due to the requirement for US territory involvement in sales.