Can China’s chip ambitions reshape the global tech landscape?

The Kirin 9030 Pro processor was the most advanced chip made in China when it launched in late 2025. Designed by Chinese tech giant Huawei and made by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) in China, it was used to power Huawei’s flagship Mate 80 Pro smartphones. Despite the advances, semiconductor research and analysis company SemiAnalysis said the chip’s performance was akin to that of a 3-year-old flagship Android phone when it launched. Its architecture was also “several generations” behind the chips put out by Apple, Samsung and Qualcomm. China is playing catch-up, but a technological breakthrough called immersion deep-ultraviolet (DUV) could help it narrow the gap with its rivals. The US tried to halt China's tech rise with sanctions. Now, a homegrown chip push could r