China Signals It May Let ByteDance and Alibaba Buy New Nvidia Chip

China's government has indicated it may permit some of its largest technology companies to purchase a newly introduced Nvidia chip intended for high-end professional computers, according to people familiar with the matter.

The country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has informed certain Chinese companies that it plans to approve such purchases, the people said.

Among the firms that could benefit are ByteDance and Alibaba, two of China's most prominent technology players.

The development, if confirmed, would mark a shift in Beijing's stance on allowing domestic companies access to advanced foreign-designed computing hardware. The chip in question is built for high-end professional computers, a category that typically includes workstations used for demanding computational tasks.

The reported signal from the ministry has not been independently verified. No official announcement has been made, and the identities of the companies that received the guidance were not disclosed beyond the two named firms.

It remains unclear when any approvals might be granted or what conditions, if any, would apply. The ministry has not publicly commented on the matter.