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Chinese universities performing military research acquired Super Micro servers with sanctioned Nvidia AI chips — public documents reveal purchases were completed in 2025 and 2026 despite US export controls
Public documents reveal that four Chinese universities, two of which are known for conducting military research for the People’s Liberation Army, bought AI servers containing export-controlled Nvidia chips from Super Micro Computer. According toReuters, the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), which focuses on missile, satellite, and robotics technologies, bought a system from Super Micro in July 2025 that contained eight Nvidia A100 AI GPUs.
Beihang University, which also conducts aerospace and defense research, is said to have acquired a machine-learning workstation from the company just this March, configured with four Nvidia A100 chips. These two universities are part of the “Seven Sons of National Defense,” a designation for Chinese academic institutions with deep ties to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the People’s Republic of China's defense industry.
Nvidia’s A100 chips are less powerful than H200 AI GPUs, which U.S. President Donald Trump hasfinally allowed for export to China in late 2025. However, potential buyers still need to acquire export licenses from the federal government before they can get their hands on these chips, and it’s unlikely that PLA-linked institutions will ever get approval.
It’s unclear how the universities were able to purchase these Super Micro servers. However, three individuals, including Super Micro co-founder Yi-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, were recentlyarrested for smuggling $2.5 billion worth of advanced AI servers into China. The conspirators allegedly shipped orders from resellers and shell companies located in different countries in Southeast Asia. Once the servers containing the controlled AI GPUs arrived at the local warehouse, their serial numbers were transferred to dummy servers, and they were then issued new fake documentation. Once completed, they were forwarded to their final destination in China.
Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.
