How can China break through the problem of being choked by chips? - Zhihu

The question of how China can break through chip sanctions has become a defining challenge for its tech sector. This issue, widely debated on platforms like Zhihu, reflects a national urgency to achieve semiconductor self-sufficiency.

China’s strategy involves a dual approach of accelerating domestic innovation while leveraging its massive market. Companies like Huawei and SMIC are investing heavily in alternative chip architectures and advanced packaging technologies.

Recent breakthroughs in AI chips from firms like DeepSeek and Kimi show that Chinese engineers are finding clever workarounds. These models achieve competitive performance using fewer and less advanced semiconductors, reducing dependency on cutting-edge lithography.

The government is also pouring billions into building a complete domestic supply chain, from raw materials to chip design software. However, this process takes years, and the gap with Western leaders like TSMC and ASML remains significant.

Meanwhile, new discoveries in chiplet design and photonic computing offer promising shortcuts. These innovations could allow China to leapfrog traditional bottlenecks without matching Western precision in nanometer-scale manufacturing.

Ultimately, the chip choke is a long-term battle that China is determined to win through persistence and creativity. The world is watching closely, as the outcome will reshape global tech power dynamics for decades to come.