How Ninestar’s Geehy Chip Business Remains in the U.S. Despite Federal Blacklist—All Thanks to SCC.

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When the U.S. government added Chinese electronics giant Ninestar and several of its subsidiaries to the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA) Entity List in 2023, many assumed the company’s American presence would effectively come to an end. Instead, a little-known semiconductor operation linked to the same corporate network continues to operate from Sanford, North Carolina, exposing what critics call a glaring loophole in U.S. enforcement efforts. Geehy Semiconductor, formerly known as Apex Microelectronics, develops microcontrollers, automotive chips, and semiconductor intellectual property from a facility located at 3010 Lee Avenue—the same campus long associated with Static Control Components (SCC), the printer-industry technology company acquired by Ninestar-linked interests. While U.S. Customs blocks products from designated Ninestar entities over forced-labor concerns, federal regulations have largely focused on stopping physical goods at the border rather than restricting domestic engineering and research activities. The result is a controversial situation in which a company tied to a conglomerate accused by U.S. authorities of benefiting from state-sponsored labor transfer programs can still maintain an American technology operation, employ U.S. engineers, and develop semiconductor designs from within the United States. Critics argue that Washington has spent billions promoting domestic semiconductor independence and tightening restrictions on Chinese technology firms, yet a Ninestar-linked chip developer continues to operate from a North Carolina campus with deep roots in the American imaging industry. The question now being raised by supply-chain watchdogs and national-security advocates is simple: if the U.S. government determined Ninestar’s products pose sufficient concerns to justify a federal blacklist, why does the company’s semiconductor arm still enjoy access to American talent, infrastructure, and technology development resources on U.S. soil?

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June 8, 2026 at 10:15 AM