5 ms·

When you have a billion people + unlimited funds + some industrial espionage I am sure china will get their chip manufacturing industry built up quickly.

parsimo2010 6y ago
For very technical things, having the information is not the same as having the ability to manufacture. Some industries don't lend themselves to catching up rapidly, you have to go through all the mistakes yourself. I think semiconductors is one of those industries. An example (unrelated to semiconductors) is China's failure to manufacture a decent jet engine even though they've been trying for 30 years. It turns out that the metallurgy required for a jet engine is more complicated than what is needed for household appliances. They aren't even dealing with incomplete stolen information, they have a license from Russia and the full technical information and still can't do it (although Russia isn't sharing their most modern designs, but China still struggles to make an engine with 1980's tech).
- mercer 6y ago
  I'd love to hear more elaboration on that, or a link to an article. As someone way out of my depth it seems almost silly that they wouldn't be able to figure that out through a combination of throwing expertise and money at it and spycraft.
  - DiogenesKynikos 6y ago
    Related: China can finally manufacture ballpoint pens. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38566114 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38566114
    - bbarnett 6y ago
      It really bothers me, how many (I assume) PRC loyalists are on here. This BBC article is valid, and on topic to this thread, and elaborates on how "just making stuff" isn't simple. Why else would this be a vote down, other than puppets of the PRC?
      - aww_dang 6y ago
        This happens with every discussion on this topic.
      - DiogenesKynikos 6y ago
        Don't accuse people of being puppets of the PRC. That poisons the discussion and is almost certainly wrong. I posted this link because it's an interesting case of how something that is seemingly simple can be exceedingly difficult to manufacture. Like jet engines, ballpoint pens require advanced metallurgy to produce.
        bbarnett 6y ago
        Yes, I know why you posted this, I stated as much. You may note that I added "(I assume)", and then asked "Why else". If people flagging your post as off topic, when it isn't, want to respond? Well, they can. In terms of poisoning? Please. Have you looked at the rest of this discussion? From my side of things, I prefer to keep things non-political. To simply state technical fact, and info. Yet when I see a significant divergence from that behaviour, a response is required.
      - dang 6y ago
        Posts like this break the site guidelines. Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules. For plenty of explanation, see https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comment&storyText=false&prefix=true&page=0&query=astroturf%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme... and https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&type=comment&dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=chin%20by%3Adang https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&type=comment&dateRange=a...
- euix 6y ago
  That was true about 5 years ago. I think the last couple of years have brought some breakthroughs in China on this front after about 30 years of trying. Not for commercial aircraft but definitely for military jets.

parsimo2010 6y ago

For very technical things, having the information is not the same as having the ability to manufacture. Some industries don't lend themselves to catching up rapidly, you have to go through all the mistakes yourself. I think semiconductors is one of those industries. An example (unrelated to semiconductors) is China's failure to manufacture a decent jet engine even though they've been trying for 30 years. It turns out that the metallurgy required for a jet engine is more complicated than what is needed for household appliances. They aren't even dealing with incomplete stolen information, they have a license from Russia and the full technical information and still can't do it (although Russia isn't sharing their most modern designs, but China still struggles to make an engine with 1980's tech).

mercer 6y ago
I'd love to hear more elaboration on that, or a link to an article. As someone way out of my depth it seems almost silly that they wouldn't be able to figure that out through a combination of throwing expertise and money at it and spycraft.
- DiogenesKynikos 6y ago
  Related: China can finally manufacture ballpoint pens. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38566114 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38566114
  - bbarnett 6y ago
    It really bothers me, how many (I assume) PRC loyalists are on here. This BBC article is valid, and on topic to this thread, and elaborates on how "just making stuff" isn't simple. Why else would this be a vote down, other than puppets of the PRC?
    - aww_dang 6y ago
      This happens with every discussion on this topic.
    - DiogenesKynikos 6y ago
      Don't accuse people of being puppets of the PRC. That poisons the discussion and is almost certainly wrong. I posted this link because it's an interesting case of how something that is seemingly simple can be exceedingly difficult to manufacture. Like jet engines, ballpoint pens require advanced metallurgy to produce.
      - bbarnett 6y ago
        Yes, I know why you posted this, I stated as much. You may note that I added "(I assume)", and then asked "Why else". If people flagging your post as off topic, when it isn't, want to respond? Well, they can. In terms of poisoning? Please. Have you looked at the rest of this discussion? From my side of things, I prefer to keep things non-political. To simply state technical fact, and info. Yet when I see a significant divergence from that behaviour, a response is required.
    - dang 6y ago
      Posts like this break the site guidelines. Please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules. For plenty of explanation, see https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comment&storyText=false&prefix=true&page=0&query=astroturf%20by:dang https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme... and https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&type=comment&dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=chin%20by%3Adang https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&type=comment&dateRange=a...
euix 6y ago
That was true about 5 years ago. I think the last couple of years have brought some breakthroughs in China on this front after about 30 years of trying. Not for commercial aircraft but definitely for military jets.