In a significant move that signals an effort to reduce dependence on Western technology companies, the China Information Security Assessment Center has removed processors from companies such as Intel and AMD from its list of approved chips.
The changes were confirmed in a document dated December 26, 2023, underscoring the country's commitment to self-reliance amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
by financial timesThe country's tech shops have already begun phasing out some Western technology as part of the country's broader move towards technological independence.
China blacklists major Western technology companies
The approved list includes 18 CPUs, with only CPUs with x86 architecture represented by Shanghai Zhaoxin Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd. Other approved chips on the list use Arm cores or RISC-V architectures, indicating the country has clear intentions to build more CPUs. Diverse components.
Additionally, only domestically developed operating systems and databases are featured on the list, including Galaxy Kirin Linux, Tongxin OS, Fangde OS, Alibaba Cloud's PolarDB, and Tencent's TDSQL.
Moreover, this transition process poses significant challenges, as many Chinese companies have built their infrastructure around Western technologies, highlighting the sheer size and cost of doing so. In fact, rebuilding these systems will take time and can have serious negative consequences for businesses without government intervention, such as financial incentives.
Another trend occurring in the same space is that while recent regulatory updates have significantly changed cross-border transactions, Chinese authorities are also seeking to tighten their control over the digital space.
As China continues to establish itself as an independent technology entity, we are likely to see major changes in the overall global landscape, which will impact domestic and international players, as well as businesses and consumers alike.
