As Chinese chipmakers snap up local gear, self-sufficiency drive faces commercial test

Chinese chipmakers are pushing for greater self-sufficiency by setting ambitious goals to source production equipment domestically. Several new wafer fabrication plants (fabs) in China are establishing explicit localization targets for their equipment. For instance, one major customer in Wuxi aims for 80% of its new fab's equipment to be sourced locally. This trend places significant pressure on domestic toolmakers to develop reliable machinery capable of meeting the demands of high-volume wafer production. The information was shared by Jie Chen, chairman of Britech Semiconductor Equipment (Shanghai) Corp, at an industry conference in Wuxi.