The U.S. trade sanctions have barred Huawei and other Chinese companies from purchasing advanced chipmaking equipment from Dutch-based ASML, with absolutely zero probability of securing cutting-edge wafers from TSMC too. While the partnership with China’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC, seems to be going along just fine, Huawei likely wants chip development to go into overdrive mode.
This is the reason why it was previously reported to have invested billions in a new R&D center located in Guangzhou that would fulfill this purpose. Now, the first ‘official’ pictures have come forth, showing what the facility would look like indoors and outdoors. Perhaps this project could become the progenitor of Huawei’s self-sufficiency in next-generation wafer manufacturing, but only time will tell.
The R&D facility is said to feature a total construction area of 305,000 square meters, with Huawei reportedly making eight buildings for research and development purposes
As reported by CnBeta, which spotted Huawei’s R&D facility pictures through a WeChat account titled China Guangzhou Release, the Phase I center located in the New Coast area of the Bay Area is expected to be completed in September this year. The mention of the term ‘Phase I’ implies that this is not the only base that Huawei is planning, suggesting that the former Chinese giant is planning something of gargantuan proportions.
As for the area, the report states that the project covers approximately 119,300 square meters, with a total construction area of approximately 305,000 square meters. Phase I includes eight R&D buildings, one hotel, one cooling tower, a guard room, and two basements. After its completion in September, the entire facility should accommodate 5,000 people for R&D and office use. However, an earlier report stated that Huawei’s R&D facility is expected to house 35,000 employees and is said to have an area of 224 football fields.
It appears that more work is required, which could take several years to complete. According to various reports, Phase I will engage in research and development in the fields of smart cars, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things, but makes no mention of chipmaking. Seeing as how Huawei was estimated to have spent around ¥12 billion, or $1.66 billion, on the facility, we expect more surprises to come through in the future.
For now, Huawei may have little choice but to rely on SMIC, and seeing as how the latter was previously reported to have successfully developed its 5nm process, it will probably take a while for the Chinese firm to jumpstart its own advanced chipmaking facility.
News Source: CnBeta
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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