OpenAI and Google have provided advanced artificial intelligence services to Singapore-based subsidiaries of Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent, despite the parent companies appearing on a Pentagon blacklist for alleged ties to China's military. Both U.S. companies confirmed to the Financial Times that they supplied AI services to the Singapore affiliates.
Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent were added to the Pentagon's 1260H list in 2026, which identifies businesses with suspected military links. Chinese tech groups have gained access to American AI models through subsidiaries registered in Singapore, exploiting a gap in export controls.
OpenAI suspended API access in June 2026 for users linked to Alibaba after detecting possible model distillation, while Google provides its AI services in Hong Kong and Singapore with restrictions against competitive model development. In contrast, Anthropic has barred Chinese companies and their overseas entities from accessing its frontier models entirely.