Iphone models in China mainland and Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence will not currently work for iPhone models purchased in China mainland.

The first sentence says that once AI becomes available for Chinese models, a qualifying model capable of using AI will be able to get access to it. That strongly implies it does not need a hardware change, they simply make the service available. Since you have a China model phone, however, that doesn't seem to imply that simply setting it up under a US account or being in the USA will enable the feature. It's still a Chinese model. My reading of it is once the service is available for your Chinese model, some software upgrade Apple sends out will enable the feature already present on the phone, but inactive, to then start working. That's my reading of it.

For supported iPhone models purchased outside of China mainland, Apple Intelligence will not currently work if you are in China mainland and if your Apple Account Country/Region is also in China mainland.

To me means that even if you have a USA origin phone with AI working now, if you take it to China it won't have AI.

To me it is all in the careful reading of what Apple says, but if you want to know from Apple (likely they will just be reading what I read), you will have to contact Apple. The people on this forum are users like yourself and we only know what we read in what Apple provides.

Refer to this page for Apple Support features ➔ Contact - Official Apple Support

Select from the presented options until you find a solution for your issue, or see if there is a chat or phone call contact method offered lower on the page (you sometimes have to narrow down the options multiple times before this is shown). If you do not see your issue, keep experimenting with any series of selections until you reach one that offers a chat session or a telephone call and get the representative to redirect you.

This support article has various country telephone numbers for contacting Apple for support and service ➔ Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

This is what I can find -->

How to get Apple Intelligence on iPhone - Apple Support

"For China residents: Apple Intelligence

will not currently work for iPhone models purchased in China mainland.

For supported iPhone models purchased outside of China mainland, Apple

Intelligence will not currently work if you are in China mainland and if

your Apple Account Country/Region is also in China mainland.

Once Apple Intelligence is available in the EU or China mainland, previously

purchased iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence will be able to

activate and use it in that region."

The chips are the same, that is because the law regulations of china