Standing on the top floor of a high-rise building in Pudong, Shanghai, overlooking this vibrant city, I can't help but marvel at the speed of China's technological development. As a tech journalist, I have had the privilege of witnessing a huge leap forward in China's chip industry. Just in the past 150 days, an incredible number has been constantly updated on my notebook: 170.3 billion integrated circuits, a miracle created by Chinese chipmakers.
Early in the morning, I walked into a chip factory in Pudong. In the factory, rows of silver machines are running at high speed, giving birth to tens of thousands of tiny chips every second. Li Gong, the person in charge of the factory, told me: "Our daily output has exceeded 1.1 billion pieces, which was just a distant dream last year. "
Li Gong's words reminded me of a cold night last winter. At the time, I was interviewing an industry expert to discuss the future of China's chip industry. The expert told me: "Don't look at us as we are still a little backward, but it will not be long before China's chip industry will usher in a qualitative leap." "At the time, I was a little skeptical, but I didn't expect that just half a year later, this prediction would come true.
Walking out of the factory, I came to an electronics showroom in the heart of the city. A variety of the latest equipment equipped with Chinese chips are displayed here. From smartphones to home appliances to industrial control systems, Chinese chips are everywhere. A foreign tourist who was visiting said to me, "I can't believe it, these are chips that China produces itself." Their performance is much better than I thought it would be. "
The exclamation of this tourist reminds me of the latest release of export data. In May alone, the export value of Chinese chips increased by 28.47% compared to the same period last year. In the past five months, the cumulative growth has reached 21.2%. This means that more and more overseas consumers are starting to choose Chinese chips.
To learn more about the performance of Chinese chips in overseas markets, I contacted a Chinese engineer working in Europe. He told me: "The demand for Chinese chips in the European market is growing rapidly. Many companies have found that Chinese chips not only have price advantages, but also better and better performance. "
The engineer's words confirm a point I heard earlier: the cost advantage of Chinese chips is becoming its "killer feature" in the international market. Although it will take some time for China to catch up with the most advanced process technology, it has formed an unshakable advantage in the field of chip production with mature processes.
Back at the hotel, I turned on my computer and started to organize today's interview materials. Suddenly, a piece of news caught my attention: in the first quarter of 2024, the sales of the semiconductor equipment market in Chinese mainland increased by 113% year-on-year, ranking first in the world for four consecutive quarters. Behind this figure is the firm confidence and continuous investment of China's chip industry in the future.
I can't help but imagine what China's chip industry will look like in the future if this growth momentum can continue. Perhaps in the near future, we will be able to see China's self-developed advanced chips shine in the global market. More high-tech products will be equipped with Chinese chips to bring a smarter and more convenient life experience to consumers around the world.
Late at night, I stood in front of the window and looked at the night view of Pudong. Countless flashing lights seem to be countless beating chips, breathing life into the city. I suddenly realized that I was witnessing a great era, an era in which China's scientific and technological power was on the rise.
Early the next morning, I went to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, where an exhibition was being held with the theme of "Future Core World". In the exhibition hall, a variety of whimsical future scenes attracted many visitors. I saw a little girl excitedly describing to her parents what she saw as the future smart home: "Mom and Dad, you see, in the future, our house will be like having a brain, and we can think for ourselves!" "
Listening to the little girl's innocent words, I couldn't help but laugh. Indeed, with the continuous progress of China's chip technology, the future of intelligent life will be more colorful. Perhaps in the near future, our clothes will automatically adjust their temperature according to the weather, our cars will become real partners in self-driving, and even our cities will turn into a huge intelligent system that provides personalized services to each citizen.
In one corner of the exhibition, I met a tech expert who was giving a presentation. He is talking about the future development direction of China's chip industry: "The chip of the future will not only be the brain of computing equipment, but also will become a bridge between the real world and the digital world. We are developing new chips that can mimic the human nervous system, and they will revolutionize the development of artificial intelligence. "
The expert's words made me ponder. If this kind of neural network chip can be realized, will we see more intelligent robots, more accurate medical diagnosis systems, and even artificial intelligence that can understand and simulate human emotions? These imaginations made me both excited and a little apprehensive.
After leaving the Science and Technology Museum, I came to a major university in Shanghai. Here, I met with several young scholars who are working on chip design. Their eyes sparkle with a vision for the future and a love for technology. One PhD student told me, "We are looking at how to apply quantum computing technology to chip design. If successful, there will be a qualitative leap in the computing speed of chips in the future. "
The enthusiasm of these young people gave me hope for China's chip industry. It is with these new forces full of innovative spirit that China's chip technology can continue to break through and move towards a higher goal.
In the evening, I arrived at the Bund. Standing on the banks of the Huangpu River, looking at the skyscrapers in Pudong on the other side, I can't help but recall what I saw and heard on this day. From the production line of the factory to the future prospect of the science and technology museum, from the good news of overseas markets to the innovative research of young scholars, every aspect of China's chip industry tells a story of rapid development.
Suddenly, my phone rang. It was a call from a Chinese engineer working in Silicon Valley. He excitedly told me that his team had just completed an important technological breakthrough that promises to significantly improve the energy efficiency ratio of chips. "This means that the electronic devices of the future will be more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly," he said, "and we are working towards a greener digital world." "
This news makes me even more convinced that the future of China's chip industry is full of infinite possibilities. Perhaps in the near future, we will be able to see more Chinese chip companies emerge on the global stage, standing side by side with international giants. More Chinese innovation will change the world and inject new vitality into global scientific and technological development.
As night falls, the lights come on. I stood in the crowd on the Bund and felt the pulse of the city. Every flickering light, every passing car, and every towering building tells the story of a rising technological powerhouse. And in this story, China's chip industry is undoubtedly one of the most exciting chapters.
150 days, 170.3 billion chips, and that's just the beginning. In the future, China's chip industry will create more miracles and write more legends. As a tech journalist, I feel blessed to be able to experience these exciting times firsthand. I believe that in the near future, "China Chip" will become a shining business card in the field of global science and technology, and make greater contributions to the scientific and technological progress of mankind.
As I was about to leave the Bund, a breeze blew across my face. I seem to hear the voice of the future, which is a symphony played by countless tiny chips, playing the song of the rise of China's science and technology. With this excitement and anticipation, I embarked on the road home, looking forward to tomorrow, looking forward to the future, and looking forward to every new miracle created by China's chip industry.
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