According to a report from the Financial Times on Sunday, China has implemented directives aimed at phasing out the utilization of U.S. microprocessors manufactured by Intel and AMD in government computers and servers.
Editing files on a laptop computer. Image credit: Christin Hume via Unsplash, free license
The procurement guidelines additionally advocate for the replacement of Microsoft’s Windows operating system and foreign-produced database software with domestic alternatives. Government agencies above the township level have been instructed to incorporate criteria emphasizing the necessity for “safe and reliable” processors and operating systems in their procurement processes.
In late December, China’s industry ministry issued a statement featuring three distinct lists of CPUs, operating systems, and centralized databases considered “safe and reliable” for a three-year period following their publication date—all sourced from Chinese companies.
The United States has been actively seeking to bolster domestic semiconductor production and reduce dependency on China and Taiwan. The Biden administration’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act is a notable effort in this direction, aiming to enhance U.S. semiconductor capabilities and offering financial assistance for domestic production through subsidies for the manufacturing of advanced chips.
Written by Alius Noreika