WASHINGTON, April 22 - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters on Wednesday that Nvidia’s high-performance H200 AI processors have not yet been sold to Chinese companies, pointing to actions by Beijing that have prevented purchases.
Asked about H200 sales to China, Lutnick said, "The Chinese central government has not let them, as of yet, buy the chips, because they’re trying to keep their investment focused on their own domestic industry." He added plainly, "We have not sold them chips as of yet."
The U.S. executive branch had in January given a formal approval for the sale of Nvidia’s H200 chips destined for China, subject to specified conditions. That decision provoked concern among some U.S. policymakers who worry that advanced AI hardware could be applied to strengthen Beijing’s military capabilities.
Despite the January approval, shipments of the H200 units have been delayed. Sources have said the holdup stems from unresolved disagreements over the terms of the sales on both sides of the Pacific - in China and in the United States - leaving deliveries in abeyance.
Lutnick was also asked about the potential reinstatement of a regulation known as the affiliates rule, which would restrict shipments of advanced U.S. technology to thousands of Chinese companies. The regulation had been deferred for one year in November as part of a trade negotiation with China.
On that point, Lutnick commented, "I agree that the affiliates rule is a smart thing for the United States of America to consider, but it is part of the balance of that full trade agreement." His remark tied the regulatory question to the broader framework of ongoing trade discussions between the two countries.
Context limitations: Public comments reported here reflect statements by the Commerce Secretary and referenced reporting that shipments were delayed due to disagreements over sale terms. No additional details on timing of potential shipments, the specific conditions attached to the January approval, or the identities of affected Chinese firms were provided in these remarks.