The Chinese government has blacklisted semiconductor research firm TechInsights due to reports that Huawei's Ascend AI uses components sourced outside of China.

On Thursday, October 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce announced that it had blacklisted semiconductor research firm TechInsights due to national security concerns. The Ministry of Commerce's blacklisting of TechInsights follows TechInsights' reporting that Huawei's latest AI chips contain components sourced outside mainland China.

China blacklists major chip research firm following report on Huawei
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/10/china-blacklists-major-chip-ai-research-firm-techinsights-analyzed-report-huawei.html

China bans research company that helped unearth Huawei's use of TSMC tech despite US bans — TechInsights added to Unreliable Entity List by state authorities | Tom's Hardware
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/china-bans-research-company-that-helped-unearth-huaweis-use-of-tsmc-tech-despite-us-bans-techinsights-added-to-unreliable-entity-list-by-state-authorities

China adds 14 foreign entities, including tech consultancies, to 'unreliable entity list' | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-commerce-ministry-adds-14-foreign-entities-unreliable-entity-list-2025-10-09/

Beijing targets consultancy that does teardown reports on Huawei chips as tech war widens | South China Morning Post
https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328414/beijing-targets-consultancy-does-teardown-reports-huawei-chips-tech-war-widens

TechInsights, a Canadian-based company known for its detailed analysis of Chinese-made chips, has revealed that Huawei's latest AI chips, such as the Ascend 910C, use components and technology from Asia's largest IT companies, including TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix. These components are supposed to be restricted from supply to Chinese companies due to US sanctions against China. Samsung and SK hynix have publicly stated that they have 'suspended transactions with Huawei since the introduction of export restrictions.'

Huawei Used TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix Components in Top AI Chips - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-03/huawei-used-tsmc-samsung-sk-hynix-components-in-top-ai-chips

TechInsights' analysis of the Ascend 910C coincides with that of SemiAnalysis , which noted that Huawei relies on technology from memory chip makers such as Samsung Electronics and TSMC.

Huawei has been on the US trade blacklist since 2019, prohibiting semiconductor manufacturers doing business with the US from doing business directly with the company. As a result, the Chinese government and Huawei have stepped up efforts to build a supply chain to become self-sufficient in semiconductors. Huawei is developing alternatives to chips made by NVIDIA, a major US semiconductor manufacturer, but TechInsights' analysis could be seen as a criticism of these efforts.

On October 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce designated TechInsights as an 'untrusted organization' due to national security concerns, prohibiting Chinese individuals and organizations from sharing information with TechInsights. It is speculated that TechInsights' blacklisting by the Ministry of Commerce was the result of TechInsights' analysis of Huawei's latest AI chips.

Not allowed to enter foreign companies such as foreign companies such as non-human machine technology companies
https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/zwgk/zcfb/art/2025/art_9b662990fa4a4d26ba3984ab5d826960.html

TechInsights reported that Huawei products contain chips made by TSMC, raising questions about the effectiveness of US export restrictions.