China’s chip import volume falls in first four months amid tech self-sufficiency push, Covid-related manufacturing disruption
- China imported 186 billion IC units from January to April, down 11.4 per cent year-on-year
- The current downward trend is in sharp contrast with roaring IC import growth seen over the past two years
China imported 186 billion IC units from January to April, down 11.4 per cent from the 210 billion units imported during the same period last year, data from the General Administration of Customs shows. However, the value of the imports jumped 10 per cent to US$134.5 billion as a global chip shortage pushed up prices.
The figures released by the General Administration of Customs on Monday did not include a breakdown by IC type.
The current downward trend is in sharp contrast with roaring IC import growth over the past two years, when the monthly IC import growth rate averaged around 25 per cent.
China to build global sourcing platform for semiconductors in Shenzhen
With strong government support, the country’s semiconductor sales could reach a 17.4 per cent share of the global market by 2024, making China one of the world’s largest chip makers after the US and South Korea, according to a report from the Semiconductor Industry Association in the US.
Shanghai chip maker has two-thirds of workers sleeping in factory
Multiple manufacturing hubs have entered strict lockdowns. Key manufacturers, including Tesla and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, have resumed production under a “closed-loop” system, with workers sleeping at or near work sites to ensure zero contact with outsiders.
IC production in China dropped 4.2 per cent from a year earlier to 80.7 billion units in the first quarter, marking the worst quarterly performance since 2019, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics last month.