Nvidia to restart China AI chip sales during CEO visit

BEIJING / HONG KONG — July 15, 2025: Nvidia, the world’s most valuable chip company, has announced plans to restart sales of its H20 AI chip to China, days after CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Beijing for a high-profile visit.

The move signals a possible easing of U.S. tech export restrictions, which earlier halted Nvidia’s ability to supply China with some of its most powerful chips.

U.S. Licences Expected Soon

In a statement, Nvidia confirmed it is filing applications with the U.S. government for licenses to resume H20 chip sales in China.
“The U.S. government has assured Nvidia that licenses will be granted, and Nvidia hopes to start deliveries soon,” the company said.

Nvidia was previously forced to stop shipping the H20 — its most powerful chip legally allowed in China — due to new U.S. export rules introduced in April over national security concerns.

CEO’s Visit Draws Attention

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is currently in Beijing, attending a supply chain expo and set to hold a media briefing on Wednesday.
“The Chinese market is massive, dynamic, and highly innovative,” Huang told CCTV. “It’s also home to many top AI researchers, which makes it important for American companies.”

Huang’s visit comes after a recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding further interest to the timing of Nvidia’s China re-engagement.

New Chip for China Market

To adapt to the export rules, Nvidia has also announced a new AI chip called the RTX Pro GPU, developed specifically for the Chinese market. The chip is described as “fully compliant” with U.S. restrictions and designed for use in smart factories, logistics, and digital twin technology.

In May, Reuters reported that Nvidia was preparing a lower-cost AI chip, based on the RTX Pro 6000D, as a cheaper alternative to the H20.

Export Control Tensions

The original U.S. restrictions were aimed at preventing advanced U.S.-made chips from being used by the Chinese military or intelligence services. U.S. lawmakers recently urged Huang to avoid meetings with blacklisted Chinese entities.

Still, China remains critical to Nvidia’s business. It generated $17 billion in revenue from China last year, about 13% of its total sales.

The H20 ban earlier this year forced Nvidia to write off $5.5 billion in chip inventory and walk away from $15 billion in expected sales.

Now, with both countries softening their stances — including China relaxing rare earth exports — analysts see room for cautious optimism.
“Despite the pause in the H20 ban, Chinese firms will still look to diversify suppliers,” said He Hui, semiconductor research director at Omdia.