Production of semiconductor chip File photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Thursday held a meeting to establish the National Integrated Circuit Standardization Technical Committee to accelerate the development standards in core areas of integrated circuits (IC) and build a solid foundation for industrial development, according to a report issued by the ministry on Friday.

The meeting pointed out that IC, as the cornerstone of the modern information society, is of strategic importance in accelerating industrial transformation and upgrading, as well as enhancing core competitiveness. 

The standardization of integrated circuits plays an important role in promoting the high-quality development of the national IC industry. While strengthening the integration of advanced technology and standards for IC helps to continuously optimize and improve the industrial structure and guide the healthy development of industrial ecology, according to comments released after the meeting.

According to MIIT, the committee will accelerate the construction of the IC standards system, enhance the effective communication of the industrial chain, and support enterprises to participate deeply in the global industrial division of labor and international standard setting.

The committee will focus on urgent development needs for the development of the IC industry and strengthen the synergistic development of domestic and international standards, in a bid to create a standardization system covering the entire industrial chain. It will mobilize all segments of the industrial chain to participate in the standardization work, vowing to accelerate the development of standards in the core areas of IC, and build a solid foundation for industrial development.

"The committee is an important part of the whole-of-society system for scientific and technological research. The biggest problem of China's chip industry is that the whole development is led by foreign standards. In order to take advantage of China's whole industrial chain, break the blockade and have a voice in the international arena, it is important to develop a unified domestic standard," Ma Jihua, founder of Beijing DARUI Management Consulting Co and a veteran tech observer, told the Global Times on Friday.

In November last year, the State Administration for Market Regulation approved the establishment of the committee, which is composed of representatives from universities including Tsinghua University and representatives from IC industry-related enterprises such as Huawei and SMIC, as well as those from research institutions, industry associations and downstream user parties.

Zhang Yuzhuo, chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, said during a visit to semiconductor enterprise Empyrean on Thursday that the commission will further implement precise policies and increase policy support in terms of talent and funds to support central enterprises to tackle difficulties and move forward in the development of the IC industrial chain integrity, and better promote the high-quality development of the IC industry.

Ma said that the statement by Chinese officials addressing support for the development of the country's semiconductor industry will boost market confidence, attract talent and investment as well as promote the integration of the whole industrial chain from research to manufacturing.

Boosted by the nation's repeated pledge to support the chip-making industry, related Chinese stocks on Friday rose to a one-month high, with the Shanghai Composite Index adding 0.5 percent to 3,327.65, the highest close since March 3.

Southchip Semiconductor Technology jumped 48 percent to 59.35 yuan ($8.64) on the first day of trading in Shanghai.

The country has been aiming for faster homegrown replacements to break through the US policy of containment and encirclement.

China plans to restructure its Ministry of Science and Technology to better allocate resources to overcome challenges in key and core technologies, and move faster toward greater self-reliance in science and technology, the Xinhua News Agency reported in March.

The restructured ministry will play a bigger role in improving a new system for mobilizing the nation to make technological breakthroughs, optimizing sci-tech innovation, facilitating application of sci-tech advances, and coordinating science and technology with economic and social development.

The second phase of the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Co, also known as the Big Fund II, has intensively made investments in the country's semiconductor manufacturing, equipment and materials and other key links.

Chinese leading high-tech new materials producer Crystal Clear Electronic Material Co recently announced that the Big Fund II is committed to investing 160 million yuan in the firm. The move will help the company catch the opportunity brought about by the fast growth of the semiconductor and panel display market in China, according to a press release.

Global Times