China Signals Approval for ByteDance, Alibaba to Buy Nvidia RTX PRO 5500 Chips

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has asked ByteDance, Alibaba (09988-HK) and other firms to submit procurement plans for Nvidia's (NVDA-US) RTX PRO 5500 chip, signaling Beijing may approve the purchases, two people familiar with the matter said. The directive was reported Sunday, September 27, 2026, by The Information. Officials told some companies the government intends to greenlight the buys, the sources said. Industry executives expect the RTX PRO 5500 may fall outside U.S. export restrictions. Nvidia declined to confirm the plans, saying U.S. firms remain bound by both "outdated" American export controls and China's own limits on U.S. product imports. The company said U.S. export rules cover gaming products launched nearly five years ago. The potential approvals would mark a shift in Beijing's stance on Nvidia purchases by Chinese technology companies.