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Reports

Sector deep dives across the China chip stack

One report per layer of the stack — the capability rating, the bottleneck that sets it, and the global frontier it's measured against. Browse by where it sits in the stack, or by how far China is from the frontier.

Compute

5

AI accelerators / GPUsDomestic contenders exist, but frontier datacenter performance still depends on software, HBM, packaging, networking, and foundry access.Substitute CPUChina has meaningful domestic server and embedded CPU activity, but the global frontier remains difficult across performance, ecosystem, and ISA licensing.Close behind MCU / control chipsDomestic substitution is more plausible here than at the leading edge, especially in industrial, appliance, and auto control use cases.Close behind Analog / power managementChina has many analog and power chip suppliers, but frontier reliability and high-end automotive/industrial qualification remain hard.Substitute Connectivity / networking chipsChina has strength in telecom systems, but AI datacenter networking and high-speed interconnect remain difficult frontier areas.Substitute

Memory

1

Memory: DRAM / HBM / NANDNAND and DRAM capabilities have improved, but HBM is a central AI bottleneck and remains hard to localize at the frontier.Bottleneck

Sensing

2

Image sensorsChina-linked suppliers are close to the global lead across several image-sensor segments, with OmniVision especially important.Near lead Lidar / radar chipsChina is a global leader in automotive lidar deployment and suppliers, though radar chips and deeper component integration remain separate fights.Leading

Design

2

EDA softwareChina has partial domestic tools, but full-flow advanced-node EDA remains one of the hardest parts of the stack to replace.Bottleneck IP coresRISC-V creates openings, but Arm, high-speed interface IP, and verified design blocks remain major dependencies.Substitute

Manufacturing

3

Foundry manufacturingChina can manufacture many mature-node chips, but leading-edge logic remains a strategic bottleneck.Bottleneck Advanced packagingChina has real advanced packaging industrial capacity, but the frontier remains CoWoS-class 2.5D/3D integration, HBM attach, yield, substrates, and customer proof.Substitute Assembly & test (OSAT)China has sizable outsourced assembly and test players, with the frontier shifting toward more advanced packaging and system-level test.Close behind

Equipment

3

Lithography equipmentLithography remains the clearest high-end equipment chokepoint, especially EUV and advanced DUV systems.Bottleneck Deposition / etch / metrologyDomestic equipment suppliers are progressing faster outside lithography, but high-end process coverage and metrology remain uneven.Substitute CMP polishing equipmentChina has a credible domestic CMP equipment leader in Hwatsing and emerging 8-inch/12-inch challengers, but Applied Materials and Ebara still define the advanced global benchmark.Close behind

Materials

1

Materials: wafers, photoresist, gases, CMPChina has broad localization efforts in materials, but quality, purity, consistency, and advanced-node qualification vary sharply by category.Substitute