China
China already invests more in chip manufacturing equipment than the US, Taiwan and South Korea combined
China is preparing to make a very large investment in the integrated circuit manufacturing sector. The country intends to spend around 50 billion dollars on semiconductor manufacturing equipment throughout 2024, a move that follows a significant investment of almost 26 billion dollars in the first seven months of this year and which sets new records in the sector.
Comparatively, the amount of money that will be invested by China in 2024 exceeds the combined spending of the United States, Taiwan and South Korea on semiconductor production equipment.
Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has identified the integrated circuit industry as a crucial strategic sector for the country's scientific, technological, economic and military development.
However, the country still faces considerable challenges in this area. According to Gerald Yin Zhiyao, president and general director of AMEC (Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment China), chip manufacturing equipment of Chinese origin is still 5 to 10 years behind its most advanced international competitors, both in quality in terms of reliability.
ITIF (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation), a North American think tank specializing in industry and technology, estimates that Chinese chip manufacturers are around five years behind global leaders in terms of technological capacity.
Faced with this situation, China currently still finds it difficult to meet its own internal demand with only national production, which means that Chinese manufacturers have to look for machines abroad to maintain competitiveness in the market.