BIG NAMES from the world of semiconductor production have shrugged off US-China trade tensions and Donald Trump’s return to the White House to make the most of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) taking place this week in Shanghai.
Representatives of chip manufacturers ASML, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Qualcomm were among the international exhibitors at the Industry and Information Technology section of the six-day CIIE event, which comes to a close on Sunday.
ASML, a Dutch company that makes systems for producing chips, has been subject to government pressure in the Netherlands to restrict sales to China.
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Microchips are used in products ranging from smartphones, cars, military technology and in developing the Internet of Things and advancements in AI.
ASML’s executive vice-president in China, Shen Bo, told the South China Morning Post that it was the sixth time the company participated in CIIE. He said the event showed China’s commitment to international business cooperation and this matched ASML’s corporate culture.
Among the other US tech companies at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre is AMD, a Silicon Valley stalwart whose products are considered to be the main rival to industry leader Nvidia, which did not attend the expo.
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“CIIE provides a high-level international platform for us to showcase our broad range of end-to-end AI solutions and applications with our ecosystem partners,” AMD’s Greater China president, Spencer Pan, told the Post. “Through expanded cooperation with Chinese partners, we are accelerating digital transformation and industrial upgrade.”
Qualcomm, based in San Diego, California, showed its new SnapDragon Elite designed to support generative-AI applications and which has been installed in Chinese-made smartphones such as those produced by Xiaomi and Vivo.
New laws in the US, however, are expected to make it difficult for foreign tech companies to exhibit at CIIE, the Post reported. The US is prohibiting outbound investment in China’s advanced tech if it considered a threat to US national security.
