The US government is actively seeking additional details regarding the Huawei Mate 60 Pro, a Chinese smartphone equipped with an advanced chip.
The recent introduction of this flagship device, which reportedly features a novel 5G Kirin 9000s processor tailored for Chinese manufacturer Huawei, has surprised industry experts who were uncertain about how the company could possess the technology to create such a chip. This uncertainty arises in the wake of substantial efforts by the United States to limit China’s access to foreign chip technology.
During a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the United States requires “further information regarding its precise nature and composition” to determine whether any parties have circumvented American restrictions on semiconductor exports to develop this new chip.
In 2019, the US government imposed a ban on US companies selling software and equipment to Huawei and imposed restrictions on international chip manufacturers using US-made technology from collaborating with Huawei. This move was motivated by perceived national security concerns, including the potential for cyberattacks or espionage by the Chinese government. The integration of a custom-designed 5G chip would mark a significant milestone for Huawei as it grapples with the repercussions of US restrictions on its device business.
Huawei has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
David McQueen, a director at market research firm ABI Research, commented, “The response in China appears to be one of widespread enthusiasm because Huawei, once a contender for the top global smartphone brand, is now perceived to be reentering the smartphone market with domestically produced silicon. It is undoubtedly leveraging the ‘Made In China’ ethos.” However, he raised questions about how Huawei managed to launch the phone given the past four years of US restrictions that banned access to 5G technology.
“While gaining access to 5G technology for the chipset is one aspect, I am unsure how the company obtained all of the other components required for a 5G smartphone, such as power amplifiers, switches, and filters,” he said.
When Huawei unveiled the Mate 60 Pro smartphone at the end of the previous month, the product page on its website provided limited information about the chip, aside from its promise of an improved communication experience and a more stable network connection. Nevertheless, last week, consulting firm TechInsights conducted an analysis of the Mate 60 to closely examine the chip, which seemed to be a 7-nanometer processor manufactured by China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC).
SMIC, a partially state-owned Chinese company, had been subjected to export restrictions established by the US government several years ago.
National Security Adviser Sullivan additionally emphasized that the United States should persist in implementing a set of technology restrictions with a “small yard, high fence” approach, with a narrow focus on national security concerns, regardless of the eventual outcome.
