BUSINESS

Huawei Founder Says U.S. Chip Ban Won’t Hold China Back in AI Race

Published: Jun. 10, 2025 3:45 p.m. GMT+8

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In an interview, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei downplays the impact of U.S. export restrictions on China’s AI ambitions. Photo: VCG

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. founder Ren Zhengfei downplayed the impact of U.S. export restrictions on China’s artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions, arguing that China remains well-equipped to compete thanks to its strong energy infrastructure, world-leading telecommunications networks, and rapid adoption of AI across its manufacturing sector.

“Artificial intelligence may be humanity’s final technological revolution — though perhaps nuclear fusion could be another. The development of AI will span decades, even centuries,” Ren told The People’s Daily in an interview published Tuesday. “Don’t worry, China has many advantages,” he said.

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Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei believes China's strong energy infrastructure, telecom networks, and AI adoption can overcome U.S. export restrictions.
Ren stated local industry-specific knowledge, not just algorithms or chips, is crucial for AI advancement.
Despite U.S. restrictions on Huawei's advanced AI chips, Ren stated their single-chip performance is one generation behind the U.S.

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Who’s Who

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is a Chinese telecommunications giant. Its Ascend AI chips, particularly the 910B and 910C, have gained traction in China despite U.S. export restrictions. Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei, believes China's AI ambitions remain strong due to its infrastructure and industry-specific knowledge. The company is investing heavily in basic research and software innovation to overcome chip limitations.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) was initially involved in producing Huawei's Ascend 910 chip using its 7-nanometer process. However, U.S. export restrictions have impacted this collaboration.

Nvidia Corp.: Nvidia Corp. is mentioned in the article due to its powerful H100 chip, which Huawei's Ascend 910C potentially surpasses in performance. Nvidia's high-end chips face export restrictions to China, contributing to Huawei gaining traction in the Chinese market. Huawei aims to catch up with Nvidia in performance and ecosystem maturity.

AI generated, for reference only