Ten Chinese firms including ByteDance reportedly get US clearance for AI chips they're not allowed to accept
75,000 chips approved. Zero shipped. The US-China AI chip standoff just got more absurd—and it reveals who's really blocking the deal.
Why it matters
US export controls on advanced chips to China are creating a paradox: Washington cleared major Chinese firms to buy NVIDIA H200s, but Beijing is blocking the purchases to protect domestic competitors. This exposes the geopolitical fragility of the global AI supply chain and signals escalating state-level intervention in AI infrastructure.
The key facts
6 to know~10 Chinese companies cleared for purchases: ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent
Allocation: up to 75,000 NVIDIA H200 chips per company
Zero chips shipped to date
Beijing blocking purchases to protect domestic chip industry (per Commerce Secretary Lutnick)
US export control policy now facing counter-move from China
Geopolitical supply chain risk for AI infrastructure
Go to the source
The Decoderthe-decoder.com
Publisher excerpt: The US has cleared roughly ten Chinese companies—including Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance—to buy up to 75,000 Nvidia H200 chips each. But not a single chip has shipped. According to Commerce Secretary Lutnick, Beijing is blocking the purchases to protect its domestic chip industry.