“How China plans to lead the computer chip industry”
Prof. Yue’s “research team designs optical communication chips, which use light rather than electrical signals to transfer information, and are needed in 5G mobile phones and other internet-connected devices.
He tells me about the challenges China faces in developing a world-beating computer chip industry.
To start out with equipment, its very high precision equipment. You need to print very fine features. The equipment that is needed to have this kind of technology is controlled by a few companies in the world,” says Mr Yue.
He believes that Chinese technology is three to four generations behind companies like TSMC. China lacks the industry experience to manufacture high end chips, he says. But he believes that companies like Huawei are already competitive when it comes to designing chips.
Mr Yue argues that Huawei is trying to replicate the successful business models of firms like Samsung, which produces its own computer chips – rather than trying to fall into line with Beijing’s industrial ambitions.
“You can almost view them as an integrated company with the expertise of what Apple or Qualcomm has,” says Mr Yue.
Abstracts from BBC News – “How China plans to lead the computer chip industry“(19 Nov 2019)
