China's annual import volume of integrated circuits (ICs) has consistently exceeded $200 billion in recent years, highlighting a heavy reliance on foreign imports and a significant imbalance between supply and demand, according to Liu Bin, a senior expert at the 45th Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation. This dependency underscores the urgency for domestic advancements in semiconductor manufacturing.
From a technological standpoint, China's IC manufacturing lags behind global leaders by about two to three generations. The country remains highly dependent on imported equipment, and achieving full localization continues to pose major challenges. Globally, advanced IC manufacturing is currently operating at the 14-10nm process node, with front-end production moving toward 7nm, which began mass production in the second half of 2018. Meanwhile, 3-5nm nodes are under active development. Domestically, 14nm technology is expected to reach mass production by 2019, but there is still a noticeable gap compared to international standards.
Liu Bin emphasized that the technological gap in IC manufacturing equipment is largely due to both the current state of China’s industry and its inherent developmental characteristics. Semiconductor equipment requires high technical expertise, long research cycles, and extensive process validation. It involves multiple disciplines and demands substantial investment, making it difficult for companies to transition from R&D to commercialization without strong support from the government, downstream industries, and other stakeholders.
As part of the "Made in China 2025" initiative, the government has set clear goals for the localization of IC manufacturing equipment. By 2020, the localization rate of 90-32nm equipment is expected to reach 50%, along with 50% for key measurement tools. By 2025, the goal is 30% localization for 20-14nm equipment, and by 2030, full localization of 18-inch process equipment, EUV lithography machines, and packaging and testing systems.
To achieve these targets, Liu Bin stressed the need to drive development through six key factors: market demand, security, self-reliance, industrial chain completeness, mission-driven responsibility, and policy guidance. Market demand plays a central role, with equipment manufacturers investing 60–70% of their budgets into advanced R&D and production. As technology, capital, knowledge, and brand competition intensify, they contribute to the formation of monopolies in the sector.
Beyond technical and commercial challenges, “artificial backdoors†have emerged as a critical security risk, especially as more equipment becomes networked. Liu Bin warned that the greater the connectivity, the higher the vulnerability. In the future, smart IC manufacturing may also need to address specific security needs.
To avoid being controlled by external forces, China must build an autonomous and controllable industrial ecosystem. Companies must focus on breakthroughs across the entire production line, specialized processes, and individual equipment to reduce dependence on global supply chains. Equipment is not only essential for building a complete industrial chain but also requires integration capabilities. National electronics manufacturing companies must take responsibility for developing the semiconductor equipment industry, aiming to establish a full-scale ecosystem that supports China’s semiconductor manufacturing needs.
With national, industry, and local-level support, initiatives like the Outline for Promoting the Development of the National IC Industry and the 13th Five-Year Science and Technology Innovation Plan have focused on 14nm node technologies, as well as packaging, materials, and other related areas. These efforts have supported companies with existing industrial capabilities. Under the National Medium- and Long-Term Scientific and Technological Development Plan (2006–2020), over 30 types of high-end equipment have been successfully developed, significantly reducing China’s reliance on foreign suppliers in the IC equipment sector.
In just ten years, from 2010 to 2020, China's equipment share in the global market increased fivefold, from 4% to 20%. Liu Bin concluded that while “Made in China 2025†presents great opportunities, it also brings significant challenges. CEC aims to develop core 28-14nm equipment and mass production capacity, break through 7-5nm technology, and ensure that core equipment is included in international procurement lists.
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