US: DeepSeek under scrutiny for intelligence support and chip acquisition strategies
- Gabriele Iuvinale
- 23 giu
- Tempo di lettura: 4 min
The technological war between the United States and China has a new chapter, with serious accusations from Washington against DeepSeek, one of China's most promising artificial intelligence companies. A senior US State Department official stated that the Hangzhou-based startup is actively supporting Beijing's military and intelligence operations and has attempted to circumvent strict American export controls to access advanced chips.

Accusations and Evidence of Military and Intelligence Ties
Washington has leveled serious accusations against DeepSeek, suspecting it of actively supporting Beijing's military and intelligence operations. A senior US State Department official, who remained anonymous due to the sensitivity of the information, stated that the Hangzhou-based startup "has willingly provided and will likely continue to provide support to China's military and intelligence operations."
These aren't isolated accusations; they are part of a growing body of existing concerns. Indications of a link between DeepSeek and the Chinese state apparatus are based on various pieces of evidence. Among the most significant are over 150 references to DeepSeek found in the procurement records of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and other Chinese defense-related entities. These references suggest that the company has provided direct technological services to PLA research institutes, indicating a collaboration well beyond the mere open-source availability of its AI models.
Furthermore, there have been reports regarding the sharing of user information and statistics with Beijing's surveillance apparatus. Although Chinese law requires companies to provide data to the government upon request, this practice raises serious privacy concerns for DeepSeek's millions of global users. US lawmakers had previously expressed fears that the company was transmitting American user data to China via backend infrastructure connected to China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications giant. Analysis of DeepSeek's code has even revealed direct links to China Mobile's authentication and identity management systems, suggesting a deeper state involvement.
These combined elements paint a worrying picture of the potential links between DeepSeek and the Chinese state apparatus, raising serious doubts about its independence and the implications for national security and user privacy.
Evasion of Export Controls for Nvidia Chips
Another serious accusation concerns access to high-end semiconductors. According to the source, DeepSeek has accessed "large volumes" of Nvidia H100 chips, despite these being subject to export restrictions to China since 2022 due to fears they could be used for military purposes or to accelerate China's AI race. DeepSeek allegedly tried to circumvent these controls by using shell companies in Southeast Asia and attempting to remotely access data centers in the same region.
An Nvidia spokesperson stated that their review indicates DeepSeek's use of H800 products, not H100, and that the company does not support those who violate controls. It was not specified whether the attempts at evasion were successful or details about the "shell companies" were provided.
Data Sharing and Privacy Concerns
The official also stated that DeepSeek is sharing user information and statistics with Beijing's surveillance apparatus. While Chinese law requires companies to provide data to the government upon request, this disclosure is likely to increase privacy concerns for DeepSeek's millions of global users. US lawmakers had already expressed fears that the company was transmitting American user data to China via backend infrastructure connected to China Mobile.
Skepticism About Capabilities and Future Prospects
US conclusions reflect growing skepticism in Washington regarding DeepSeek's actual capabilities. The company has stated that its AI models, DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1, are on par with or superior to those of OpenAI and Meta at a fraction of the cost. However, AI experts have expressed doubts about the company's stated training costs, believing them likely to be much higher.
Currently, the State Department has not announced the implementation of further export controls or sanctions against DeepSeek. However, the case fits into a context of increasing tension in the US-China technological war, where Washington seeks to limit Beijing's technological advancement in strategic sectors like artificial intelligence for national security reasons. The ongoing investigation in Malaysia into a Chinese company allegedly using servers with Nvidia chips for training Large Language Models (LLMs) further underscores the breadth of these concerns.
China Bypasses US AI Chip Bans: Other Cases and Strategies
The DeepSeek case isn't an isolated incident. China has demonstrated significant adaptability and ingenuity in circumventing stringent US restrictions on AI chips. Here are some of the known strategies and cases illustrating how Beijing manages to acquire the necessary technology:
The Black Market for Chips: A flourishing underground market exists where brokers and intermediaries facilitate the purchase and resale of advanced semiconductors, despite the bans. These chips, often sold at inflated prices, still manage to reach Chinese companies through unofficial channels.
Shell Companies and Foreign Subsidiaries: A common tactic involves establishing subsidiaries or affiliated companies in third countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. These entities legally import chips and then transfer them to China, or allow remote access to the servers hosting them. This makes it extremely complex for US authorities to track the origin and final destination of the semiconductors, as also suggested by the investigations in Malaysia.
Remote Access to Data Centers: Many Chinese companies lease computing capacity in data centers located in countries not subject to the same restrictions. This allows them to train their AI models using US-equipped servers, then transfer the processed data to China—sometimes even physically on hard drives—for further use.
Development of Domestic Chips: In the long term, China's strategy aims for technological self-sufficiency. The country is investing heavily in the development and production of advanced chips domestically. While there's still a significant technological gap compared to global leaders like TSMC and Samsung, companies like Huawei have already shown surprising progress. The launch of the Huawei Mate 60 Pro smartphone, with its 7-nanometer Kirin 9000s chip, caught the US by surprise, demonstrating China's ability to achieve advanced technological levels even under sanctions.
Optimization of Less Powerful Chips: Another tactic is to optimize the use of less powerful semiconductors or those subject to fewer restrictions. Through innovative design techniques, such as the "chiplet" approach (which involves assembling many less advanced chips to create a more powerful one), Chinese companies are trying to achieve competitive performance with limited resources.
These methods demonstrate how the US-China technological war is a constantly evolving "cat and mouse game," with Washington introducing new restrictions and Beijing relentlessly seeking ways to overcome them, while accelerating its own efforts to achieve full technological autonomy.
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