WASHINGTON — On 8 December 2025, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that the United States will allow export of Nvidia’s H200 artificial-intelligence chips to “approved customers” in China.
The decision reverses tighter restrictions on high-powered AI chips that had been imposed in 2022 and upheld by subsequent administrations. Under the announced plan, shipments of H200 chips — which are considerably more powerful than older models legal for export, will be permitted under strict licensing and a per-chip fee mechanism aimed at safeguarding national-security interests.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump defended the move as a way to support “American jobs, strengthen U.S. manufacturing, and benefit American taxpayers.” He stressed the policy is not a blanket open-door sale, but rather a controlled export process balancing economic interest and security.
The approval immediately triggered market reactions: Nvidia shares rose, and U.S. chipmakers such as AMD and Intel also saw modest gains as investors anticipated renewed access to China’s lucrative AI market.
Still, the decision has sparked sharp criticism at home. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced legislation earlier this week aimed at blocking any loosening of chip-export restrictions, arguing the H200 chips could significantly boost China’s AI and military capabilities.
Analysts say the shift marks a new phase in Washington’s technology-policy outlook. By allowing H200 exports while continuing to block the most advanced “Blackwell” generation chips, the administration appears to be pursuing a middle path: preserving U.S. technological leadership and export revenue, while trying to limit the risk that China obtains cutting-edge computing hardware.
For Nvidia, the approval restores access to one of its largest potential markets, once considered nearly off-limits. The company praised the decision as balancing “innovation incentives with national security,” while expressing readiness to comply with U.S. export licensing requirements.
