DeepSeek’s Role in Chinese Military and Security Systems

On October 21, the Chinese AI company DeepSeek announced the release of DeepSeek-OCR, a tool that transforms large text datasets into compact image-based formats. This latest release underscores the company's ongoing innovation as it deepens ties with the Party-state. DeepSeek's success has drawn attention from both the Chinese government and the military.

A procurement platform operated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) indicates that several defense companies have secured contracts to develop AI tools based on DeepSeek models. From July to September 2025, 17 procurement documents specifically requested tools using DeepSeek's AI models. Although the number of procurement notices for military AI is relatively small, the focus on DeepSeek remains significant.

DeepSeek's models have been widely deployed across public and private sectors throughout 2025, aligning increasingly with state interests. Given China's policy of military-civil fusion, the PLA's deployment of DeepSeek was inevitable.

Private companies have dominated the PLA's procurement of DeepSeek tools, reflecting their ability to quickly adapt to market changes. Among these, Shanxi 100 Trust Information Technology has secured the most contracts.

The adoption of DeepSeek is part of China's strategy to enhance technological sovereignty. DeepSeek is particularly useful in electronic warfare, integrating radar, satellite, and UAV inputs to provide real-time electromagnetic awareness.