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Blacklisted Inspur Used U.S. Subsidiary to Route AI Chips
The United States has rules limiting how advanced computer chips can reach China.
Inspur, a major Chinese server company, was placed on a U.S. blacklist in 2023.
Soon afterward, its American office changed its name to Aivres.
A report says Aivres continued sending advanced computers and technology to Southeast Asia.
Some of those products may have later served Chinese technology companies or entered China.
Another company called Maginfra imported many expensive servers into China and appeared connected to Inspur.
U.S. officials have looked into these activities, but it is unclear what action they have taken.
The U.S. government says its controls protect national security, while critics say companies may be using loopholes to get around the rules.
Aivres, Inspur Group’s U.S. subsidiary, exported at least $5.6 billion in advanced technology to Southeast Asia from April 2024 through February 2026.
More than $3 billion of those exports reportedly involved computers containing Nvidia’s cutting-edge Blackwell chips and related equipment.
The technology went to Southeast Asian data centers and firms serving Chinese companies including Alibaba and ByteDance.
Trade records and corporate documents link Inspur’s network to Maginfra, which imported more than $700 million in servers into China over six months.
U.S. officials are examining Aivres, while the administration says its export controls are rigorous and Nvidia says it supports compliant sales.
- Who
- Inspur Group, its U.S. subsidiary Aivres, Southeast Asian technology firms, Chinese companies, U.S. officials and Nvidia are central to the report.
- What
- Aivres and related companies allegedly helped route advanced U.S. AI technology, including Nvidia chips, through Southeast Asia to customers serving China.
- Where
- The activity involved the United States, China, Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia, with Inspur and Aivres offices in China and Silicon Valley.
- When
- Inspur was blacklisted in March 2023; reported Aivres exports occurred from April 2024 through February 2026.
- Why
- The network appears to have exploited gaps in U.S. export rules, including rules governing remote access to overseas data centers and coverage of specific companies and addresses.
Critics and Investigators
U.S. Administration and Industry
Whether the network bypassed controls
Critics and Investigators
An ImportGenius researcher described the activity as resembling a state-sponsored Chinese network for bypassing export controls, while an analyst questioned why Aivres had not been blacklisted.
U.S. Administration and Industry
The Trump administration said it had enacted the most rigorous export-control regime in modern history and remained committed to national security.
Whether sales were properly controlled
Critics and Investigators
Trade records and corporate documents suggest advanced technology moved through Southeast Asia to firms serving Chinese companies, potentially exploiting gaps in U.S. rules.
U.S. Administration and Industry
Nvidia said it does not support diverted products and that its partners work with the company to ensure sales comply with export-control rules.
Remote access to overseas data centers
Critics and Investigators
Security officials and industry observers are concerned that Chinese companies could use advanced AI technology for hacking, surveillance and military operations.
U.S. Administration and Industry
The Trump administration rolled back Biden-era restrictions on Chinese companies remotely accessing data centers in other countries, while Nvidia said the business supports U.S. jobs and generates substantial revenue.
Key facts
- Blacklisting
- The United States added Inspur Group to its entity list in March 2023, restricting exports to the company without a special license.
- Aivres exports
- Aivres exported at least $5.6 billion of advanced technology to Southeast Asia from April 2024 through February 2026.
- Blackwell equipment
- More than $3 billion of the reported exports involved computers containing Nvidia Blackwell chips and related equipment.
- Maginfra imports
- Maginfra imported more than $700 million in servers from Malaysia into China during a six-month period.
- Chinese customers
- Reported recipients and beneficiaries included data centers and technology firms serving Alibaba and ByteDance.
- U.S. inquiry
- Federal officials have begun examining Aivres’s business, but the status of the inquiry is unclear.
- Nvidia position
- Nvidia said it sells to known partners and works to ensure sales comply with U.S. export-control rules.
Quotes
William George
The director of research at ImportGenius, who analyzed the trade records.
“It’s very hard to look at this and not see a state-sponsored Chinese network for bypassing export controls”
indianexpress.com
“Are they trying to ban them, or are they not?”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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