WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - Nvidia's ( NVDA ) H200

chips have not yet been sold to Chinese companies, Commerce

Department Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Wednesday, citing

difficulties faced by those firms to garner permission from the

Chinese government.

"The Chinese central government has not let them, as of yet,

buy the chips, because they're trying to keep their investment

focused on their own domestic industry," Lutnick said, when

asked about H200 sales to China.

"We have not sold them chips as of yet," he added.