Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) and Huawei Technologies, two key players in Beijing’s efforts to defeat US sanctions on advanced chips, are among the country’s top recipients of local government funding this year, according to published government documents, reports the South China Morning Post.
In Shanghai, 16 out of 191 major projects that have local government subsidies are related to the semiconductor industry, according to data released by the city authorities. China’s top chip maker SMIC had two 300mm production lines, both currently under construction, on the list, while a Huawei research centre in Shanghai’s Qingpu district is also among the 16 projects.
The Huawei facility in Qingpu is focused on research and development in semiconductors, wireless networks and Internet of Things, with plans to hire 35,000 researchers after it opens in June 2024. Other projects that have received Shanghai funding include a production facility by China’s etching equipment firm Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment.