Approximately 600,000 of Nvidia’s advanced H200 AI chips are stored in Hong Kong, awaiting Beijing’s approval for large-scale imports into mainland China. The stockpile highlights China’s reluctance to become overly reliant on U.S. technology, despite strong demand from domestic companies developing AI.
Beijing has not approved bulk imports, but it has allowed smaller quantities into the country. Several major Chinese internet companies have reportedly each received about 10,000 H200 chips in recent months.
Limited supply has driven prices higher in unofficial markets. A server equipped with eight H200 chips now costs roughly three times what it did a year ago.