China's share of U.S. AI-compute hardware imports has fallen to 6.3 percent
It peaked at 29.5 percent in 2010 and halved after 2018. Mexico and “Other Asia, n.e.s.” (commonly Taiwan) now supply half of the $164.5 billion trade.
China's share of U.S. AI-compute hardware imports fell from 29.5 percent in 2010 to 6.3 percent in 2024
Exhibit 1. China-origin share of U.S. imports of the screened products, 2005–2024
Source: CEPII BACI HS02 (V202601); Symbiosis United Analytics analysis.
At a glance
- China supplies a small and shrinking share. China-origin imports were $10.4 billion of $164.5 billion in 2024 — 6.3 percent, down from a 29.5 percent peak in 2010.
- Compute systems dominate the platform. $99.8 billion, or 60.6 percent of imports, are compute systems; China supplies 8.0 percent of them.
- Two origins supply half of U.S. imports. Mexico supplies 28.6 percent and BACI's “Other Asia, n.e.s.” code, commonly used for Taiwan, 21.7 percent.
- Exposure travels downstream. The China-origin flow carries a modelled $15.3 billion footprint across U.S. production (1.47 times) and $7.7 billion of value added.
Context
AI-compute hardware is not one product. It combines high-value chips, compute-system parts, specialised manufacturing equipment and supplier platforms that move through different countries and different qualification regimes.
This report screens U.S. imports across five functions — compute systems, integrated circuits, semiconductor devices, wafer and material inputs, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment — from 2005 to 2024, and traces China-origin exposure into U.S. production.
Where the value sits
Compute systems account for $99.8 billion of the $164.5 billion total, and integrated circuits a further $40.1 billion. China's share is 8.0 percent in compute systems, 4.1 percent in integrated circuits and 2.7 percent in semiconductor devices.
Compute systems account for three-fifths of U.S. AI-compute hardware imports
Exhibit 2. U.S. imports by hardware function, 2024, US dollars, with China-origin share
Note: Functions group the HS6 products in the AIR 003 screen.
Source: CEPII BACI HS02 (V202601); Symbiosis United Analytics analysis.
China's share over time
U.S. imports grew from $67.4 billion in 2005 to $164.5 billion in 2024. China's share peaked at 29.5 percent in 2010 and was still 26.3 percent in 2018; it halved to 12.3 percent in 2019, the year after the first Section 301 tariffs took effect, and has fallen every year since 2020. China-origin imports peaked at $28.2 billion in 2018.
Who supplies the U.S.
Mexico supplied $47.1 billion in 2024 and “Other Asia, n.e.s.” $35.8 billion — together half of U.S. imports. Vietnam and Malaysia follow with about 8.5 percent each; China ranks sixth, just behind Korea.
Mexico and Other Asia supply half of U.S. AI-compute hardware imports
Exhibit 3. U.S. imports by origin, eight largest origins, 2024, US dollars and share of total
Note: “Other Asia, n.e.s.” is BACI's reporting code commonly used for Taiwan.
Source: CEPII BACI HS02 (V202601); Symbiosis United Analytics analysis.
Downstream exposure
Input-output modelling allocates the $10.4 billion of China-origin imports to the U.S. sectors that use them. The footprint is $15.3 billion across U.S. production, with $7.7 billion of value added; computer and electronics producers, motor vehicles and telecommunications carry the most.
Computer and electronics producers carry the largest modelled footprint of China-origin compute hardware
Exhibit 4. Modelled downstream footprint by U.S. production sector, eight largest, US dollars
Note: Modelled with OECD input-output tables; a screen for diligence, not a forecast.
Source: OECD ICIO, 2023 edition (2020 table); CEPII BACI HS02 (V202601); Symbiosis United Analytics analysis.
Implications for decision-makers
Treat AI compute as several supply problems.
Some lanes are allocation and working-capital issues; others are supplier-qualification problems; others need export-control, firmware or customer-approval review before a sourcing decision is meaningful.
Concentration risk now sits outside China too.
With half of imports from two origins, resilience planning should cover Mexico and Other Asia as well as China-origin lanes.
Move from the HS6 screen to a supplier register.
The next step is an HTS10, export-control, supplier and customer register with named owners for compute units, chips, wafer inputs and equipment.
About this research
This report is part of our independent public research. It was self-funded and was not commissioned or funded by any company, government or client. Edition 1.1 — 1 October 2026. Correction: the PDF said China-origin imports “increased” from $15.56 billion in 2005 to $10.40 billion in 2024 (section “Time Trend And China Position”); they fell. No figures changed. Edition 1.0 — 21 June 2026, first publication.
Symbiosis United Analytics (2026). AI Compute Hardware Trade Exposure. Actionable Insight Report 003, edition 1.1. https://symbiosisunited.com/research/air-003/