Previously, this domestic mobile phone company would not publicly discuss its new 5G chip, and its offline stores only provided general information. However, recently, it suddenly allowed industry insiders to openly discuss this chip, which may indicate that the domestic 5G chip has truly achieved localization, and chip production is no longer subject to overseas restrictions.

Previously, domestic media pointed out that domestic advanced processes have reached a high level in areas such as etching machines and photoresists, with etching machines being the most advanced—reaching 5-nanometer levels. However, some materials still need to be imported, and more importantly, key lithography machines are constrained by ASML.

Since 2020, ASML has been prevented from selling its 2000i lithography machines, capable of 7-nanometer production, to China, which significantly impacted the domestic chip industry. In 2023, ASML obtained a license to sell 2000i lithography machines to China, and China purchased them in large quantities, with imports of lithography machines multiplying from September to December 2023.

However, China's advanced lithography machines have been under continuous development. The immersion lithography machine capable of 7-nanometer production has been under development for several years. Last year, there were more definitive reports indicating that domestic immersion lithography machines would enter mass production by the end of 2023. Now, half a year has passed, and it is likely that this domestic immersion lithography machine has entered production lines after debugging during this period, achieving stable production.

The fact that domestic advanced process chip manufacturing has broken free from its dependence on overseas chip industry chains may be the reason why it dares to publicly unveil this chip. From now on, domestic advanced process production will no longer be constrained by overseas chip industry chains, and domestic chips have gained autonomy, naturally eliminating the need to worry about the constraints of overseas chip industry chains.

In terms of high-tech equipment, overseas markets have always had similar practices. If China makes breakthroughs, then relevant overseas equipment will significantly reduce in price and increase in supply, thereby seizing the market and suppressing China's advanced equipment. Devices such as lithography machines may now be experiencing a similar story.

The same applies to tunnel boring machines, IGBT chips, and more. They once sold tunnel boring machines at sky-high prices, but China's tunnel boring machines are now widely used both domestically and internationally, breaking the monopoly of European tunnel boring machines. Germany and Japan once monopolized IGBT chips for high-speed trains, with a single IGBT chip even selling for a sky-high price of 20,000 yuan. However, after China made breakthroughs, IGBT chip prices dropped significantly.

Looking back now at ASML's sudden licensing to sell advanced lithography machines to China last year, it may be that Europe had already learned of China's significant breakthroughs in immersion lithography machines, leading to ASML's sudden licensing. Now, the unveiling of this domestic 5G chip undoubtedly further confirms the breakthrough in domestic immersion lithography machines.

The significant breakthrough in domestic chip manufacturing is undoubtedly of great significance to the domestic chip industry. After all, today's chips require advanced processes, which can enhance performance and reduce power consumption. Especially in today's highly competitive industries such as mobile phone chips, AI chips, and automotive chips, there is a strong demand for advanced processes. These are also industries where China's chips have made breakthroughs, which will further enhance the competitiveness of China's chips.

China's chip industry has only taken a few short years to transition from being constrained by overseas chip industry chains to achieving autonomy. This demonstrates the rapid development of China's chip industry chain, which is related to China's abundance of technical talent and the innate talent of the Chinese people. Many US chip companies such as AMD, NVIDIA, and Broadcom have a large number of Chinese employees engaged in chip technology work, proving the innate talent of the Chinese in chip technology. Under such circumstances, it is entirely reasonable that China's chip industry chain has made rapid breakthroughs.

With China's chip breakthroughs, Made in China will undoubtedly be elevated to a new level, with higher technological content. Made in China will completely shake off its previous reliance on price competition and instead rely on core technological advantages to gain more added value. To paraphrase Jack Ma, "Previously, you ignored me; in the future, you won't be able to afford me."