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Zhou Xin

Hu Weiwu, the chief engineer at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Computing Technology, embarked on an ambitious mission some 15 years ago: to develop China’s own computer chip to challenge Intel and AMD’s dominance in the field.
But years of trial and error and hundreds of millions of yuan in funding later, not a single computer product with Hu’s chips can be found on China’s leading e-commerce websites today.
But Hu remains undeterred.
Give him another 15 years, he says, and he and his clients will be able to produce a whole new system to rival mainstream chips.
READ MORE: A Chinese OS at last? More than 40 per cent of Dell PCs in China now running homegrown Windows alternative
The Chinese government’s strong preference for home-grown processors – because of national security concerns in using overseas technology – on top of huge domestic demand for chips ensured his firm a bright future, Hu said.
“By 2030, my firm can become the core of a whole industrial system – just like Intel is today for the information technology industry,” said Hu, wearing a modified Mao jacket and a red Mao badge. “By 2020, we can become a leader in some areas.”
Hu’s firm, Loongson Technology, has not made much progress in penetrating the personal computer market, but China’s military and government agencies are taking orders for the firm’s chip technology.
One client is the Beidou Navigation Satellite System – China’s version of the United States’ global-positioning system.
American whistle-blower Edward’s Snowden’s revelations about widespread surveillance by US intelligence agencies helped boost the business of Hu’s firm as the news made the Chinese authorities even more determined to have their own technologies.
The country’s quest for home-grown technology means many such research projects receive heavy government subsidies, but they have also been mired in controversy.
READ MORE: Breakthrough by Chinese researchers could lead to smaller and faster memory chips
In 2003, Chinese researcher Chen Jin claimed that he had developed a digital chip, naming it Hanxin, meaning “Chinese chip”. The Chinese government showered money and honours on him, but in 2006, it was discovered that the chip was in fact a copy of a US design.
Loongson Technology still relied on government funding and orders to stay afloat, but it was “gradually reducing reliance on the government” and catering more to private businesses’ demands, Hu said.
Loongson now had about 10,000 researchers and more than 300 business partners, including Hisense, a major Chinese television-maker based in Shandong province.
Loongson has helped Hisense develop a television chip called Hi-view Pro that can improve screen display quality.
China is the world’s largest television maker, but the country relies on imports for key components such as digital signal processing chips.
Ding Wenwu, general manager of the US$200 billion government fund supporting the domestic chip industry, said China had spent more money on importing chips than on crude oil and that there was huge demand for domestic players to take a bigger share of the market.
“My favourite Mao speech is ‘Serve the People’,” Hu said. “It helps me answer the question of why we are trying to make our own chips.”


Engineer on track for China’s home-grown computer chip to rival Intel and AMD, spurred by Mao’s call to ‘serve the people’

No Caption Available.

A shopclerk talks to a customer at one of hundreds of computer parts shops at Zhongguancun Street locally known as "Chinese Silicon Valley" Wednesday, Sept. 30, 1998 in Beijing, China. Chinese government's recent crackdown againt smuggling computer parts from Taiwan and other Asian countries caused a big raise in those price in China. Computers become one of must-have goods in bigger city life in China and the parts are in big demand. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Loongson Technology’s Hu Weiwu believes his firm’s creations will be able to rival mainstream chips in another 15 years. Photo: SCMP Pictures.

A Chinese OS at last? More than 40 per cent of Dell PCs in China now running homegrown Windows alternative

More than 40 per cent of Dell personal computers sold in China are now running a Chinese alternative to Windows, according to the company. Photo: Reuters

A screenshot of Ubuntu Kylin, the Linux operating system on which NeoKylin is based. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Breakthrough by Chinese researchers could lead to smaller and faster memory chips

Ferroelectric-RAM could potentially be faster and more reliable than current technology. Photo: Bloomberg

China unveils ambitious plan for ‘Made in China’ upgrade within 10 years

Machines assemble cars in a Geely Auto factory in Zhejiang province. China aims to boost manufacturing productivity by 2025. Photo: Xinhua

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.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}New | Engineer on track for China’s home-grown computer chip to rival Intel and AMD, spurred by Mao’s call to ‘serve the people’

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.css-jfmysa{display:inline;word-break:break-word;}.css-1ankfgb{cursor:pointer;display:inline;word-break:break-word;}READ MORE: A Chinese OS at last? More than 40 per cent of Dell PCs in China now running homegrown Windows alternative

New | Engineer on track for China’s home-grown computer chip to rival Intel and AMD, spurred by Mao’s call to ‘serve the people’

READ MORE: A Chinese OS at last? More than 40 per cent of Dell PCs in China now running homegrown Windows alternative