Tech war: China buys US$12 billion worth of chip-making equipment in second quarter
The soaring demand in China helped lift worldwide income from semiconductor gear by 4 per cent, despite contraction in major markets
China remained the world’s largest and fastest-growing market for semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the second quarter, according to global chip industry association SEMI, as the country pushes to be technologically self-sufficient amid sanctions by the US.
In the June quarter, China saw sales of chip-making equipment – including tools for wafer processing, assembly, packaging and testing – jump 62 per cent year on year to more than US$12 billion.
The soaring demand in China helped lift worldwide income from semiconductor gear by 4 per cent to US$26.8 billion, despite sales contraction in major markets, including South Korea, Taiwan and North America. Japan, ranked fifth by market size, recorded a revenue rise of 6 per cent to US$1.6 billion.
“The semiconductor equipment market has returned to growth, driven by strategic investments to support continued strong demand for advanced technologies and regions seeking to bolster their chip-making ecosystems,” said SEMI CEO and president Ajit Manocha.
