SINGAPORE, Feb 1 — Singapore has reiterated its commitment to upholding both domestic and international trade laws following reports that intermediaries in the country may have facilitated the unauthorised movement of Nvidia chips to China.
In a statement today, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) emphasised that it expects US companies to adhere to both US export regulations and Singapore’s legal framework.
“We expect US companies, like Nvidia, to comply with US export controls and our domestic legislation.
“Our customs and law enforcement agencies will continue to work closely with their US counterparts,” the ministry said.
This comes as the US Commerce Department reportedly investigates claims that Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek obtained high-performance Nvidia chips, which are restricted from export to China.
According to a Bloomberg report on Thursday, US officials are probing whether DeepSeek circumvented US export restrictions by acquiring Nvidia semiconductors through third parties in Singapore.
The company has drawn attention after launching its R1 AI model, which delivers high efficiency at a significantly lower cost than US rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
OpenAI has since launched its own investigation into whether DeepSeek improperly used its data for R1’s development.
MTI underscored Singapore’s role as a global business hub, noting that “major US and European companies have significant operations here.”
The ministry also cited Nvidia’s own clarification that there is no indication DeepSeek acquired controlled products from Singapore.
Nvidia, whose latest financial report shows that Singapore accounts for approximately 22 per cent of its revenue, has maintained that its reported earnings do not reflect a redirection of chips to China.
“Our public filings report ‘bill to’ not ‘ship to’ locations of our customers.
“Many of our customers have business entities in Singapore and use those entities for products destined for the US and the West,” the company told Investing.com earlier this week.
A spokesman for Nvidia reiterated to Investopedia that the company ensures its customers comply with regulations.
“We insist that our partners comply with all applicable laws, and if we receive any information to the contrary, act accordingly,” the spokesman said.
Nvidia also emphasised that its revenue “associated with Singapore does not indicate diversion to China.”
MTI reaffirmed that Singapore’s customs and law enforcement agencies will continue collaborating closely with their US counterparts to ensure compliance.
“We have always upheld the rule of law and acted decisively and firmly against individuals and companies that flout the rules,” the ministry said.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg said the FBI was not immediately available for comment, and DeepSeek has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the investigation.
