London: China has initiated guidelines aimed at phasing out U.S. microprocessors manufactured by Intel and AMD from government computers and servers, as reported by the Financial Times on Sunday. Additionally, the procurement directive aims to diminish reliance on Microsoft’s Windows operating system and foreign-made database software in favor of domestic alternatives.
Government agencies above the township level have been instructed to prioritize “safe and reliable” processors and operating systems in their procurement processes, according to the newspaper’s report.
In late December, China’s industry ministry issued a statement outlining three lists of CPUs, operating systems, and centralized databases deemed “safe and reliable” for a three-year period. Notably, all the listed options are from Chinese companies, as confirmed by Reuters checks.
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The State Council Information Office, responsible for media inquiries on behalf of China’s cabinet, did not provide an immediate response to a faxed request for comment.
Neither Intel nor AMD responded immediately to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The United States has been striving to enhance domestic semiconductor production and decrease dependence on China and Taiwan. The Biden administration’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act aims to support U.S. semiconductor manufacturing by providing financial assistance for domestic production, including subsidies for advanced chip manufacturing.
