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> China was able to manufacture processors The actual manufacturing is done in Taiwan (TSMC) and South Korea (Samsung). USA can do it too (Intel, Global Foundr

by mappu 7y ago

> China was able to manufacture processors The actual manufacturing is done in Taiwan (TSMC) and South Korea (Samsung). USA can do it too (Intel, Global Foundries) but these are either not leading edge or only for private use. SMIC in China are up to 14nm: https://www.anandtech.com/show/13941/smics-14-nm-mass-production-in-1h-2019 https://www.anandtech.com/show/13941/smics-14-nm-mass-produc... Everyone uses equipment from the Netherlands (ASML). > they couldn't manufacture ballpoint pens domestically until 2017 They were already producing 38 billion ballpoint pens a year. Just the tips had to be imported because domestic steel was too low-grade. Since they weren't given assistance in learning steel production techniques it had to be rediscovered. Chinese steel is now high-quality enough to produce the ballpoint tips, but building up R&D is important for reasons beyond pens; the responsible state-owned-enterprise developed several new techniques, and is (apparently) the only company in the world able to produce e.g. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201904/24/WS5cbfc4a9a3104842260b7fc5.html http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201904/24/WS5cbfc4a9a31048422...

seanmcdirmid 7y ago
Materials engineering is also where China is trying to make progress so they can produce viable competitive jet turbines.
skrebbel 7y ago
> Everyone uses equipment from the Netherlands (ASML). This is funny, because besides ASML, Europe is very light on the chip manufacturing. Sure, there's ARM, but they don't have foundries. All this talk about geopolitics and computing, chips, foundries, and every single company and thus country is dependent on this one equipment vendor from a tiny and otherwise unimportant country, and nobody seems to bat an eye. It makes me wonder whether maybe all this geopolitical scheming and fearmongering is way overblown. Why does it matter if country Y can make chips themselves or buy them from country X? What is this, a world full of little soviet unions? I mean, we have trade, and trade works! I think in the long run trade will always win over protectionism.

by mappu 7y ago

seanmcdirmid 7y ago

Materials engineering is also where China is trying to make progress so they can produce viable competitive jet turbines.

skrebbel 7y ago

> Everyone uses equipment from the Netherlands (ASML). This is funny, because besides ASML, Europe is very light on the chip manufacturing. Sure, there's ARM, but they don't have foundries. All this talk about geopolitics and computing, chips, foundries, and every single company and thus country is dependent on this one equipment vendor from a tiny and otherwise unimportant country, and nobody seems to bat an eye. It makes me wonder whether maybe all this geopolitical scheming and fearmongering is way overblown. Why does it matter if country Y can make chips themselves or buy them from country X? What is this, a world full of little soviet unions? I mean, we have trade, and trade works! I think in the long run trade will always win over protectionism.