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Tech war: Chinese chip executives put faith in global cooperation despite intensifying US restrictions

  • At Semicon China, which began in Shanghai on Wednesday, industry veterans highlighted the role that China plays in the global chip supply chain
  • Chinese chip companies are excited about the progress made by US firm Nvidia, says the chairman of Yangtze Memory Technologies Corporation

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Attendees at the Semicon China expo in Shanghai, China, on Wednesday. Photo: Bloomberg
Che Panin Beijing

China’s top semiconductor executives attending an annual industry gathering called for tighter collaboration with their global peers, but none of them addressed the elephant in the room: growing US export curbs on advanced chip technology.

Semicon China kicked off in Shanghai on Wednesday amid signs that the US is planning to intensify sanctions against Chinese chip firms. The Biden administration may blacklist several semiconductor companies connected to Huawei Technologies, according to a Bloomberg report published on the same day.

But for veterans in the Chinese chip industry, the country will remain a key part of the international semiconductor supply chain.

Chinese chip companies are excited about the progress made by US chip designer giant Nvidia, founded and helmed by Taiwan-born American businessman Jensen Huang, according to Chen Nanxiang, chairman of China’s top memory chip maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Corporation.

Chen also serves as chairman of the China Semiconductor Industry Association, a 744-member trade group.

A semiconductor wafer on display at Semicon China. Photo: Bloomberg
A semiconductor wafer on display at Semicon China. Photo: Bloomberg

“China’s semiconductor market belongs to the world, while the world’s semiconductor market also belongs to Chinese companies,” Chan said. He added that speeches made previously by Huang convinced him about the future of the global semiconductor market, which Semicon China projected will top US$1 trillion by 2030 on the back of AI-related chip demand.

Che Pan
Che Pan joined the SCMP in 2020 and covers China tech news with a focus on semiconductors and AI. Previously, he covered China's economy at Caixin. Che graduated from Sciences Po Paris with a master degree in financial regulations and risk management.
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