Nvidia CEO Visits China Amid H200 Chip Uncertainty

Huang’s Shanghai Trip Comes at a Sensitive Moment

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is in Shanghai as the U.S. chip maker contends with intensifying competition from Chinese rivals and growing scrutiny from Chinese authorities. A person briefed on the visit said the timing is routine and linked to annual celebrations with Nvidia’s China employees, with Huang expected to attend a company party in Shanghai before traveling to Beijing, Shenzhen and then Taiwan.

Santa Clara–based Nvidia did not respond to a request for comment on the trip. Chinese outlet Tencent News first reported Huang’s presence in Shanghai on Friday, and Reuters later confirmed his visit through people with knowledge of the plans. Huang had already visited China at least three times last year and met China’s commerce minister in July 2025, underscoring the importance of the market to Nvidia.

H200 AI Chip at the Center of Regulatory Friction

The visit coincides with a regulatory impasse over Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence accelerator. According to people briefed on the situation, Chinese authorities have instructed customs agents that the H200 is not permitted to enter China, even though Washington has already approved the chip for sale to Chinese customers.

It remains unclear whether this represents a formal ban or a temporary measure. Nvidia is waiting for Beijing to decide whether the company will ultimately be allowed to sell the H200 in China. The chip, described as Nvidia’s second most powerful AI product, has become one of the most prominent technology issues in broader U.S.–China relations.

Demand from Chinese firms for high‑end AI hardware remains strong, but Beijing’s stance on the H200 will help determine how much of that demand Nvidia can address. The uncertainty comes as Chinese chipmakers seek to strengthen their own positions in AI computing and as authorities weigh how to balance domestic industry support with access to foreign technology.

H200’s Role in Broader U.S.–China Tech Tensions

The H200 situation highlights how advanced semiconductors now sit at the intersection of trade, industrial policy and national security for both countries. U.S. export controls have tightened access to cutting‑edge AI chips, while China has responded with its own measures affecting specific products, including the H200.

People familiar with Beijing’s deliberations told Reuters this month that it is not yet clear whether China intends to block the chip outright to support domestic chipmakers, is still considering potential restrictions, or views its current stance as leverage in broader negotiations with Washington. Against that backdrop, Huang’s meetings with employees and visits to multiple Chinese cities draw attention to Nvidia’s efforts to maintain its presence in a strategically important but politically complex market.