With the rapid digitalization of the global economy, the security of supply of chips, as the core cornerstone of information technology, directly affects the stable development and national security of all walks of life. Especially under the influence of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and geopolitical tensions, the supply chain and logistics chain of the global chip semiconductor industry have been disrupted, which has exacerbated the contradiction between supply and demand of chips in the short term. Therefore, the realization of the security and resilience of the chip semiconductor industry has become the focus of competition among all parties.
Price competition is gradually cooling down
In the past period, due to the imbalance between supply and demand in the market, there has been fierce price competition in the chip industry. However, with the slow recovery of the semiconductor market and the improvement of capacity utilization by manufacturers, price competition has gradually cooled. For example, domestic chip foundry giants such as SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor have shown a cautious attitude in the face of price wars, focusing more on maintaining market share and competitiveness, rather than simply pursuing low prices.
Security of supply is the new focus
While price competition is gradually cooling, security of supply has become a new focus of the chip industry. This is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Diversified supply chain construction: In order to reduce the risk of dependence on a single supply chain, chip companies have begun to strengthen the construction of diversified supply chains. By looking for partners around the world and establishing multiple supply chain channels, we can quickly adjust the supply chain layout and ensure the stability of chip supply in the event of an emergency.
Enhance independent R&D capabilities: The improvement of independent R&D capabilities is the key to ensuring supply security. Chip companies need to increase investment in R&D, master core technologies, and reduce dependence on external technologies. This can not only improve the competitiveness of products, but also ensure the supply of products through independent research and development when the supply chain is impacted.
Figure:A New Focus in Chip Industry
Strengthen international cooperation: In the context of globalization, the supply chain of the chip industry often spans multiple countries and regions. Therefore, strengthening international cooperation is of great significance to ensure security of supply. Countries should strengthen information sharing, technical exchanges and policy coordination to jointly create a safe and reliable ecological environment for the chip industry.
Policy support and guidance
In order to promote the healthy development of the chip industry, governments around the world have introduced relevant policies to support and guide. For example, the United States signed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which provides huge government subsidies and investment tax credits; The European Union has published the European Chips Act, which plans to invest tens of billions of euros in the next few years to improve Europe's competitiveness in the field of semiconductors. These policies not only provide financial support for chip companies, but also point out the direction for their development.
To sum up, security of supply has become a new focus in the chip industry. In the context of globalization, chip companies need to strengthen the construction of diversified supply chains, improve independent research and development capabilities, strengthen international cooperation, and jointly promote the healthy development of the chip industry with the support and guidance of government policies.
