Nvidia has informed Chinese customers that it plans to begin shipping its H200 AI chips to the country before the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls in mid-February, according to three people familiar with the matter. The H200, the second most powerful AI chip in Nvidia’s lineup, is expected to be delivered to select clients in China as early as late January, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to maintain its presence in the region despite ongoing U.S. export restrictions. The move comes as Chinese tech firms continue to expand their AI capabilities, and demand for high-performance chips remains strong. While the U.S. government has imposed strict controls on the export of advanced AI chips to China, Nvidia has been working to navigate these regulations by offering modified versions of its products that comply with export rules. The H200, though slightly less powerful than the top-tier H100, is still a high-performance chip designed for large-scale AI training and inference workloads. The anticipated shipments signal a potential easing of supply constraints and could help Chinese companies continue developing their AI infrastructure.