Hong Kong sets its sights on the new chip track, leading the way for industrial development!

Against the backdrop of favorable policies and market demand, the integrated circuit industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area continues to develop positively. Among them, Hong Kong's chip industry is showing vigorous vitality and considerable development potential. Third-generation semiconductors are a clear focus of Hong Kong's chip industry layout. The first silicon carbide wafer fab project landed in Hong Kong at the beginning of this year, and the region also has two third-generation semiconductor-related production lines; in addition, new tracks are also emerging, and market dynamics show that this time Hong Kong will bet on the RISC-V field.

Recently, the Hong Kong Investment Management Company (HKIMC) and SiFive Technology held a strategic cooperation launch ceremony and the first Hong Kong RISC-V Development Summit Forum at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

HKIMC announced its investment in SiFive Technology and will provide comprehensive support for SiFive Technology's subsequent development in Hong Kong. SiFive Technology will establish a subsidiary in Hong Kong and conduct business to promote the development, application, and talent cultivation of RISC-V chips in Hong Kong.

SiFive Technology revealed that it will continue to deepen its R&D layout in Hong Kong, cooperate with more industry leaders and local enterprises, launch more RISC-V chips with high technology, high performance, and high quality, and create a batch of RISC-V innovative applications to help Hong Kong's digital transformation and promote the development of new productive forces in Hong Kong.

Currently, SiFive Technology is cooperating with Inspur to steadily promote the application of its self-developed data center-level RISC-V chip, "Lion Mountain Chip," in Inspur's intelligent computing products. At the same time, SiFive Technology, together with China Mobile Hong Kong, Hong Kong China Gas, and China Mobile Xin Sheng Technology, jointly promotes the industry's first RISC-V Internet of Things security chip, "Hong Kong Hua Xin," in Hong Kong, serving millions of households in Hong Kong. This chip will significantly improve the level of intelligent gas management and contribute to the construction of a smart city in Hong Kong. Currently, the "Hong Kong Hua Xin" has shipped more than 4 million units in mainland China.

Data shows that RISC-V is an open-source, free, and highly scalable reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture that is disrupting the traditional chip design field. As the world's third-largest architecture, RISC-V can provide Chinese companies with a new path to bypass the x86/ARM barriers.

At the event, Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, said:

"The rapid development of RISC-V, which takes an open-source architecture approach, will accelerate the transformation of the chip industry. With its open-source and simple characteristics, R&D and product design teams have more room for innovation and experimentation in the design of chips, intelligent computing, and electronic products. Combining the characteristics of the RISC-V architecture with Hong Kong's advantages, we can bring new heights to industrial co-creation, international cooperation, and talent cultivation. With the full support of the SAR government, the full commitment of HKIMC, and the full participation of technology companies, we can accelerate the development of a self-reliant and controllable technological ecosystem in RISC-V technology development and contribute Hong Kong's strength to the country's high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening."

In the field of third-generation semiconductors, Hong Kong's "Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint" clearly proposes to support advanced semiconductor manufacturing, promote "new industrialization," and focus on supporting breakthroughs and industrial applications of third-generation semiconductor technology.

In January this year, Jilifang Semiconductor and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish an 8-inch silicon carbide wafer fab for third-generation semiconductors in Hong Kong. The project is expected to have a total investment of approximately HK$6.9 billion and is scheduled to officially start production in 2026.

This project is Hong Kong's first third-generation silicon carbide wafer fab for semiconductors. It is positioned as a vertically integrated manufacturing (IDM) model, combining R&D and production, with the goal of promoting the autonomy of the Greater Bay Area's chip supply chain. After reaching full production, the project can produce 240,000 wafers per year, which can meet the production needs of 1.5 million new energy vehicles, and the annual output value is expected to exceed HK$11 billion.

Following the Jilifang 8-inch silicon carbide wafer production line, in March, media reported that the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research Institute (MRDI) is establishing two 8-inch third-generation semiconductor pilot lines, respectively responsible for silicon carbide and gallium nitride R&D and production, and plans to complete installation and commissioning this year.

It is reported that in May last year, the Hong Kong Legislative Council approved HK$2.84 billion to establish the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research Institute, focusing on the R&D of third-generation semiconductor technology, including silicon carbide and gallium nitride pilot lines, and supporting industry-academia-research cooperation. The Hong Kong Microelectronics Research Institute plans to use HK$2.478 billion to establish pilot lines, and the remaining funds will be used for operating expenses over five years.

The global semiconductor industry is undergoing a transformation from "concentrated manufacturing" to "distributed innovation." Leveraging its financial and international advantages, Hong Kong is launching a strategic breakthrough in the semiconductor industry. From top-level policy design to precise corporate investment, relying on third-generation semiconductors, RISC-V, and other fields, the future prospects of Hong Kong's chip industry are promising.