Tech War: US chip restrictions dominate debate among Chinese semiconductor veterans at Semicon industry conference
- Experts and insiders at Semicon China in Shanghai were all discussing the implications of deglobalisation amid reports of looming new US sanctions
- Some made another call to action to further develop the domestic industry, but catching up in advanced chip-making takes more than deep pockets
The looming possibility of greater US chip restrictions, and the worsening of semiconductor supply chain disruptions, has become the dominant topic among Chinese chip experts at an industry forum in Shanghai, where some experts declared “globalisation is dead”.
Industry insiders shared their concerns at the Semicon China conference in Shanghai on Thursday about interruptions to the semiconductor supply chain as Washington reportedly considers further tightening its export controls to slow the flow of AI chips to China. New rules would apply to chips like the Nvidia A800 graphics processing unit.
Wei Shaojun, director of Tsinghua University’s Institute of Microelectronics and an official of the China Semiconductor Industry Association, said China is the biggest victim of deglobalisation in the semiconductor industry because the country expected to be able to tap global resources. “When globalisation is destroyed, [the industry] model has great shortcomings, as China cannot realise the global allocation of resources,” he said.
A ban of the Nvidia A800, which The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday Washington is considering, would present both new challenges and opportunities for China, according to Wei. “If the US bans the sale of A800 chips, they are blocking their own way,” he said, adding that the new ban could be a chance for China to accelerate the sourcing and development of alternatives.
Han Di, senior vice-president of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), China’s largest wafer foundry, said the country must find new ways to embed itself in the cross-border supply chain.
“The traditional industrial cooperation mode is facing new challenges and opportunities,” Han said. He suggested that China focus on chip materials and components, as well as develop the capability to manufacture advanced chips.
“As the leading integrated circuit company in mainland China, SMIC has always adhered to the attitude of compliant operation, open innovation, and win-win cooperation,” he said.
