HuaweisHubble Technology Investment unithas just invested $12.8 million in lithography, marking the Chinese giants entry into chip manufacturing technology.
According to Fu Liang, a senior industry analyst, the companys move likely comes to address US restrictions and to reduce Chinas dependence on certain countries and companies operating in the global semiconductor industry.
Industry analysts believe lithography machines are critical to forging a complete chip industry chain. laser Opto-Electronics, the Beijing-based company in which Huawei has invested, was the first to independently design and develop the first domestic high-energy excimer laser that broke the long-term monopoly held by overseas manufacturers.
Analyst Fu Liang further added that lithography machines and light sources determine the degree of accuracy of the chips, but the global supply is still dominated by some firms, so Huaweis investment in lithography aims to reduce its dependence on foreign companies.
Despite Joe Bidens arrival in the White House, the situation does not seem different from the Trump government: bans for 59 Chinese companies, including Huawei.