Huawei prepares a surprise that the United States will not like Huawei has a way of annoying the United States. The Chinese technology giant would be preparing a mid-range 5G smartphone for October or November, which would constitute a new snub to US sanctions, according to information published by the Chinese newspaper IT Times and collected by Reuters. It would be a Nova series smartphone, that is, mid-range.
In open war against Huawei since 2019, the United States seeks to prevent the red-petal firm from accessing cutting-edge chip manufacturing tools. Washington tries by all means to restrict its access to these technologies, considered strategic, for fear in particular of military use.
This didn’t stop Huawei from launching its new high-end smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, last month. With Chinese chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), the group has developed a 7-nanometer microprocessor to equip it. This new chip, the Kirin 9000s, represents a leap forward in the manufacturing of this type of components by China, at a time when the United States is doing everything possible to restrict the technological capabilities of the Middle Kingdom. Beijing is also preparing to launch a state-backed investment fund that aims to raise around $40 billion to develop the sector.
According to a TechInsight analysis, SMIC produced these components without ultra-sophisticated etching equipment from Dutch equipment maker ASML, which the Dutch government stopped selling to China to comply with US sanctions. Other components were purchased from foreign suppliers despite US restrictions.
In response, a group of US House Republicans urged the Biden administration to crack down on Huawei and SMIC. In particular, they called on the Department of Commerce to stop licensing companies controlled by the Chinese government, such as SMIC and called for increased pressure in this area.
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