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Reuters Probe Finds PLA-Linked Labs Still Citing Nvidia A100 GPUs Despite U.S. Controls

Recent patents alongside procurement records indicate continued reliance on restricted accelerators by Chinese military researchers.

Overview

  • A Reuters-based review reported by Tom's Hardware found 35 patents, many from NUDT, that reference Nvidia A100 chips, including a filing from June 2025.
  • The reporting also noted 15 patents citing Huawei Ascend hardware, underscoring China’s parallel push for domestic AI GPUs.
  • Norinco this year unveiled the P60 autonomous combat-support vehicle said to run on DeepSeek, though specific technical details remain classified.
  • DeepSeek was suspected to have been trained on Nvidia hardware, while its latest model adds support for Huawei Ascend chips and the CANN toolkit.
  • Despite U.S. restrictions since 2022, Reuters described a regional resale market for high-end Nvidia parts, as Nvidia argued that limited second-hand use does not create new national-security risks.