Documents and two sources familiar with the matter show that three Chinese companies have recently been granted U.S. permission to acquire advanced AI processors from Nvidia and AMD. The approvals cover ZTE Kangxun Telecom - a unit of telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp - and server vendor Maginfra for Nvidia's H200 chip, as well as Zhuhai Hengqin Yunxiang Zhisheng Network Technology, a unit of cloud computing firm Kingsoft, for certain AMD chips that compete with the H200.
The H200 is among Nvidia's most powerful accelerators and is used to train and run large AI models. It has become central to tensions over high-end computing exports to China, with U.S. authorities restricting shipments amid concerns the gear could support the country's military modernisation.
The three newly identified licensees were not previously reported as having received U.S. clearance, expanding the list of Chinese firms engaged in the licensing process beyond the large internet groups and major electronics distributors that were disclosed earlier. U.S. officials had previously cleared around 10 Chinese firms - including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance and JD.com - to buy the Nvidia chips, but at the time no deliveries had been completed because the transactions faced approval requirements and scrutiny in both Washington and Beijing.
Sources said some Chinese cloud companies have recently informed partners and clients they may soon be able to obtain H200 chips, suggesting some forward movement in China's import review process. Those communications indicate there may be progress, but they do not confirm completed shipments.
Requests for comment to ZTE, Maginfra, Kingsoft, Nvidia, AMD and China's Ministry of Commerce were not answered. The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security - the Commerce Department agency that administers export controls - did not immediately provide a response to a request for comment.
Washington has steadily tightened its controls on advanced AI chips bound for China since 2022, citing national security concerns. Despite those restrictions, the previous U.S. administration authorised sales of the H200, which began shipping to customers globally in 2024. Supporters of such exports have argued the licences advance U.S. technological leadership, while companies such as Nvidia have sought to preserve access to major overseas markets.
At the same time, Chinese authorities have promoted domestic chip alternatives. That dynamic has left uncertainty over whether U.S.-approved exports can move forward even after licences are issued, as approvals from Chinese import regulators may also be required before deliveries occur.
As the licensing process unfolds, the situation remains fluid: licences have been granted to additional Chinese entities, but actual shipments and broader market impacts depend on follow-through by both sellers and Chinese import authorities. The approvals documented for ZTE Kangxun, Maginfra and the Kingsoft unit add new names to the list of licensed purchasers but do not by themselves confirm that equipment has been shipped or installed.