China Accelerates Indigenous Tech Development Amid Semiconductor Sanctions

In response to US semiconductor sanctions, China is pushing forward with the development of its own indigenous technologies. Notably, this includes developing supercomputers without graphics processing units (GPUs) and chip design techniques that do not require advanced lithography equipment.

At a recent international supercomputing conference in Germany, China's supercomputer 'Sunway Lingang' claimed the top spot with a computing power of 2.198 exaflops (approximately 2.2 billion billion calculations per second). By modifying its CPU design to implement matrix operations without GPUs, it demonstrated the excellence of its self-developed CPUs, memory, and communication networks.

Furthermore, despite restrictions on the sale of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, Huawei has showcased a chip design method that stacks circuits vertically. This technique allows for greater circuit density within the same space, thereby enhancing data movement efficiency.

China's state-run Global Times has assessed that these technological developments have actually served as a foundation for new innovations, spurred by US sanctions. Analyses suggest that this technological push is accelerating the creation of China's unique indigenous systems.

China's technological development trends signal a more complex landscape in the global race for technological dominance, alongside efforts to counter the US-led supply chain restructuring. Should China's status in the global IT market rise through its independent technologies, it could have significant ripple effects across the entire related industrial ecosystem.