Huawei CEO says China's chips trail US by one generation
Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei stated the company allocated US$25.07 billion a year to R&D, with an emphasis on compound chip innovation. (Reuters pic)
BEIJING : Huawei Technologies' chips are one generation behind those of US peers but the firm is finding ways to improve performance through methods such as cluster computing, Chinese state media quoted CEO Ren Zhengfei as saying on Tuesday.
The chipmaker invests 180 billion yuan (US$25.07 billion) in research annually and sees promise in compound chips – or chips made from multiple elements – Ren said in an interview in the People's Daily newspaper of the governing Communist Party.
The public comments are the first from Ren or Huawei about the firm's advanced chip manufacturing efforts. US export controls since 2019 have prevented Huawei from accessing high-end chips and equipment to manufacture them.
Huawei has since marketed its Ascend series of artificial intelligence chips which compete in China with offerings from US rival Nvidia, the global leader in AI chips.
The US commerce department last month said use of Ascend chips would be a violation of export controls.
Huawei is just one of many Chinese chipmakers, Ren said in the interview.
'The US has exaggerated Huawei's achievements. Huawei is not that great. We have to work hard to reach their evaluation,' he said.
'Our single chip is still behind the US by a generation. We use mathematics to supplement physics, non-Moore's law to supplement Moore's law and cluster computing to supplement single chips and the results can also achieve practical conditions,' he said.
Cluster computing is when multiple computers work together. Moore's law refers to the speed of chip advancement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
24 minutes ago
- The Star
China extends hand to Korea
Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung to work with Beijing to uphold free trade and defend 'multilateralism'. In a phone call with Lee, Xi urged Beijing and Seoul to 'inject more certainty into regional and international situations', Xinhua news agency said, as well as to 'promote strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level'. 'A healthy, stable, and continuously deepening China-South Korea relationship aligns with the trend of the times,' Xi said. 'Close bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination should be maintained to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade, ensuring the stability and smooth functioning of global and regional industrial and supply chains,' the Chinese leader added. South Korea's new centre-left leader was elected in a landslide last week after winning a snap election triggered by his predecessor's disastrous martial law declaration. Lee's office said the new leader had told Xi he hoped the two countries 'would actively promote exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of fields – including the economy, security, culture and people-to-people exchanges'. Lee also invited Xi to attend the upcoming Apec summit in November, which is being held in Korea's southern city of Gyeongju. Lee said he hoped there would be a chance for 'in-depth discussions on bilateral ties and regional issues.' Lee also asked that China play a 'constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,' in a reference to Beijing's ties with North Korea. Seoul has long trod a fine line between top trading partner China and defence guarantor the United States. Relations suffered under Lee's predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who cleaved close to the United States and sought to improve ties with former colonial master Japan. But both countries' export-driven economies have now found themselves in the crosshairs of the US tariff blitz. And Lee hinted on the campaign trail that he would seek to improve ties with Beijing. He has also raised alarm by saying that a future conflict between China and Taiwan would not be South Korea's concern. — AFP
The Sun
39 minutes ago
- The Sun
Global Tourism Elites Eye New Opportunities in Hainan, China
SANYA, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 10 June 2025 - On June 8, the Overseas Tour Operators Hainan Tour 2025 was inaugurated in Sanya, China, and more than 450 tourism industry representatives worldwide explored new opportunities in Hainan. Themed 'Travel to Meet the World,' the event showcased the province's advancements in enhancing international visitor experiences, such as payment facilitation, multi-language services, visa-free policies, and expanded air routes. Enterprises from 18 cities and counties across the island showcased their unique cultural, tourism, and creative products, engaging in one-on-one discussions with global travel agencies to strengthen tourism cooperation. Zhu Shanzhong, ambassador of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, pointed out that Hainan is giving full play to the policies of the Free Trade Port and leveraging its rich tourism resources and industrial integration system so as to accelerate the construction of an international tourism consumption center. 'Hainan is home to not only a breathtaking natural landscape but also a vibrant and ever-growing cultural heritage,' said Peter Semone, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association. He believed that through innovation, regional cooperation, and sustainable practice, Hainan could build a 'meaningful Asia-Pacific tourism economy,' improve service quality while protecting tourism resources, and be a benchmark for tourism development in China with a notable influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Cynthia Tan, deputy president of the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association and executive director of Roystar Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd., praised the abundant tourism resources in Hainan. Lee Kwah Ho, CEO of South Korean travel agency LK Global, said, 'I can't help but recommend Hainan's offerings, especially premium hotels, to South Korean tourists. The next step is to partner with Hainan in high-end coastal vacations.' 'We plan to join hands with scenic spots in Hainan to design programs for Hong Kong students' field trips,' said Florence Lo, director of iStudent Tour (HK) Limited. According to the Hainan Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, TV, and Sports, as China's only tropical island province and its largest Free Trade Port, the province warmly invites global visitors to embark on a vibrant tropical journey, experiencing a modern and dynamic Hainan brimming with opportunities.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Global issues cloud 2H25 IPO outlook
PETALING JAYA: The initial public offering (IPO) market, which started the year on a subdued note, faces an uncertain second half (2H25) as weak market sentiment, global headwinds and poor earnings season continue to dampen investor appetite. A market watcher says the outlook for IPOs in 2H25 hinges on several unresolved global issues – including the outcome of potential US reciprocal trade tariffs expected in July, US-China trade tensions and the timing of a US interest rate cut, if any. 'The market sentiment isn't good. Last year, about 80% to 85% of IPOs performed well post-listing. 'This year, it's the complete opposite – nearly 80% have traded below their offer prices,' Tradeview Capital chief executive officer and founder Ng Zhu Hann told StarBiz. 'So, what changed? Largely, to me, it is – of course – market fatigue, fund flows, and also because the global situation has made a lot of investors, whether local, institutional, foreign funds or even local retail investors, very risk-averse. 'A lot of people are holding on to their cash rather than participating in the equity market.' Domestically, Ng said a lacklustre corporate earnings season has added to investor caution. To-date, 28 companies have been listed on Bursa Malaysia this year, with Paradigm Real Estate Investment Trust making its debut yesterday. Another three are expected to list by end-June – Ping Edge Technology Bhd (June 13), Cuckoo International (M) Bhd (June 24) and Pan Merchant Bhd (June 26) – bringing the first-half total to 31 IPOs. This puts Bursa Malaysia slightly past the halfway mark of its full-year target of 60 IPOs, but Ng warned that delays and repricings suggest growing caution among potential debutants. 'We've already seen two or three companies pushing back their listings,' said Ng. 'Several IPOs also revised their offer prices downward.' Cuckoo, which was initially scheduled to list on April 30, deferred its debut to June 24 due to 'near-term market challenges'. Its IPO price was also reported to have been revised to RM1.10 per share from RM1.29 previously, although this has yet to be confirmed by the company. Eco-Shop Marketing Bhd, which has since listed, similarly trimmed its IPO price to RM1.13 from RM1.21 before going public. Whether Bursa Malaysia hits its target of 60 listings this year now depends not just on pipeline readiness – but on whether the broader market gives debutants a reason to come forward. Across the shore, Singapore is taking a markedly different approach to reinvigorate its equity market. In February, the Monetary Authority of Singapore or MAS rolled out a bold S$5bil Equity Market Development Programme to boost liquidity on the Singapore Exchange by investing through selected fund managers focused on actively managed strategies targeting local small and mid-cap stocks. This is complemented by tax exemptions on fund manager income 'derived from funds investing substantially in Singapore-listed equities', a narrowed Global Investor Programme to channel more capital into listed equities, and expanded research grants to improve coverage and investor engagement in the equity market.
