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13 August 2024

Scientist at Forefront of US Army Research Selected to Lead PRC’s Strategic Chip Production Line

Sunny Cheung

On July 30, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) announced the establishment of its third-generation chip production line in Hong Kong (HKCNA, July 30). This represents a significant move that underscores Beijing’s ambitions in the semiconductor industry. The new production line is spearheaded by renowned scientist Dr. Yitao Liao, who previously collaborated with the US Army on similar technologies. Both this new production line and Dr. Liao’s involvement raise questions about US policies toward the security and supervision of research into dual-use technology amid ongoing US-PRC rivalry.

Overview of the New Chip Production Line

The newly established chip production line is located in the Yuen Long Microelectronics Center (MEC) in Hong Kong, a facility set to be operational within this year. The project is driven by MassPhoton HK, a company founded by Dr. Yitao Liao. The primary focus of this initiative is the development of 8-inch Gallium Nitride (GaN) epitaxial wafers and the associated light emitting diode technology (LED) technology, which are essential for the advancement of third-generation semiconductor technologies (Mingpao, July 31; MassPhotonHK, last accessed August 5). The Chinese version of the company’s website mentions that they have established optical technology laboratories at Boston University in the United States—something left out of the English version.

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