“Restrictions in place since 2019 have crippled Huawei and forced it to reinvent itself.”
The US government has launched a formal investigation into the advanced Chinese chip found in Huawei’s latest smartphone.
The Commerce Department, which has imposed a series of restrictions on Huawei and the Chinese chip industry over the past two years, said it was working to obtain more information about the alleged 7nm processor found in the Mate 60 Pro. The chip was manufactured by the Chinese company Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., which, like Huawei, is blacklisted by the United States and has limited access to American technology.
Huawei’s new Mate 60 line of smartphones and subsequent devices from the company have undone the careful efforts of the Joe Biden administration. Interestingly, the Mate 60 Pro smartphone went on sale during Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s trip to China last week.
The origin of the latest processor in the Huawei Mate 60 Pro smartphone
“We are working to obtain additional information about the nature and composition of the proposed 7nm chip,” a Commerce Department spokesperson said. “Let’s be clear: export controls are just one tool in the US government’s arsenal to address national security threats posed by China. Restrictions in place since 2019 have crippled Huawei and forced it to reinvent itself – at significant cost to the Chinese government.”
The Mate 60 Pro smartphone uses an unusually high proportion of Chinese components in addition to the main processor, according to a teardown conducted by TechInsights for Bloomberg. This is a sign of the country’s progress in developing indigenous technological capabilities.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan previously said he would refrain from commenting until the US receives additional information.
“There are a number of different methods to try to come to an understanding of what exactly we’re dealing with here,” Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday. “I can’t tell you the exact number of days, but it won’t take several months.” We need to look carefully at the issue, consult with our partners, get a clearer picture, and then make decisions accordingly.”
