Chinese military-linked universities acquire restricted AI servers
Four Chinese universities, including two with People's Liberation Army ties, reportedly acquired Super Micro servers equipped with restricted NVIDIA A100 AI chips despite US export controls in place since 2022. The universities obtained the servers through unknown channels and have been placed on US export blacklists.
What happened
According to procurement records reviewed by Reuters, four Chinese universities acquired Super Micro servers equipped with restricted NVIDIA A100 chips over the past year. Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Beihang) and Harbin Institute of Technology (Harbin Tech) both announced purchases: Beihang notified in March 2026 of acquiring a machine learning workstation configured with four A100 chips, while Harbin Tech announced in July 2025 the purchase of a system with eight A100 chips.
Both universities are designated as part of China's 'National Defense Seven Universities' and are listed on US export control blacklists. The source and method of acquisition of these servers remain unclear, and two additional universities with military affiliations attempted similar purchases according to 2025 and early 2026 public procurement documents.
Reported impact
US officials expressed concern that advanced AI chips could enhance Chinese military capabilities. Georgetown University security analysts stated such sales 'could help advance China's weapons design and testing, military planning, autonomous weapons systems and surveillance capabilities.'
Index analysis
The US has restricted sales of certain NVIDIA chips, including the A100, to China since 2022 due to national security concerns. Super Micro's co-founder and two associates were separately charged with smuggling at least $2.5 billion in US AI technology servers to China, with charges alleging involvement in the circumvention of export controls.
Governance controls
Both Beihang and Harbin Tech are on US export blacklists making it legally difficult for US companies to obtain licenses to sell to them. NVIDIA stated it would continue working closely with customers and the US government to ensure compliance as export control scope expands.
US senators cited the Super Micro smuggling charges and urged the Commerce Department to consider suspending all licenses permitting export of advanced NVIDIA AI chips and server systems to China and Southeast Asian intermediaries.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.