Latest Xeons land in new Huawei server despite looming US ban

Despite looming US government bans preventing access to American technology, Huawei has announced a new server based on the third-generation Intel Xeon scalable processors launched just this week. The Chinese company was a little cagey in its reveal of the new FusionServer Pro 2488H V6, as it has not mentioned which of the new …

[Poncey McPonceface]

> 18 months stockpile of essential chips

Huawei builds up 2-year reserve of 'most important' US chips

“Huawei's stockpiling efforts focus on central processors made by Intel for use in servers and programmable chips from its peer Xilinx, the sources said. These are the "most essential components" for the company's base station business and emerging cloud business, and it has enough inventory to last between one and a half and two years, they added.”

This heavy-handed tactic can only have focussed and redoubled Chinese initiatives on high-tech self-reliance. If the USA had only but spoken softly while at the same time reminding everyone subtly about the big stick it carries then it may have paradoxically achieved a better outcome. Between having Meng Wanzhou arrested, fining ZTE $1.4 *billion*, and threatening to cut Huawei off from fundamental tech (and thus essentially crippling it) the USA has done in broad daylight what it should have done in the shadows. Either the USA is prepared to break Huawei, or it isn't. Threatening it without destroying it will only serve to make Huawei and the broader Chinese high-tech scene much more self-reliant which will grow them from a formidable adversary to an implacable one. Expect 10nm tech followed by 7nm chip tech in shortish (measured in tech terms) order.

If the USA were truly to restrict ARM licensees, for instance, that could trigger a full on cold war. But either the USA is prepared to trigger a new cold war or it is not. Which is it? Dithering will only backfire on them.

[martinusher]

Re: > 18 months stockpile of essential chips

It requires a special kind of hubris to think that what the US government is doing is going to bring Huawei, and by extension China, to its knees.

I have been frustrated and annoyed by our (US) government's behavior towards the Chinese. A few years they were happy to be global citizens -- buccaneering sorts, its true but then not fundamentally different from anyone else. As fully vested partners in the global supply chain they were both buying and selling, making money coming and going and spending it freely around the world. A formidable competitor, but nothing we couldn't deal with if we were prepared to exert ourselves. We didn't -- a couple of companies may have seen their monopolies threatened, they've got the ear of someone who knows someone and suddenly its war. A Trade War, to be precise, but still war.

Anyone who knows anything about the history of China will know that the Chinese aren't going to be beaten by anyone and certainly not a gang of Western Imperialists. So now we're locked in a struggle we can't win and they are not going to lose. It may take time but they will develop the missing technologies and in doing so they will destroy what leverage we had left globally. (Nice going, Mr. MAGA!)

Soft power is a powerful tool if you know how to use it.

[hoola]

Re: > 18 months stockpile of essential chips

China will continue to do what they have already shown they can do:

Develop their own manufacturing base for alternative products currently sourced from the West.

Look at the long term losses and gains (this is where the UK & US are particularly crass as the financial markets demand returns "NOW" regardless of whether it is in everybody's best interests).

Will build on there existing expertise (e.g Huawei are leaders in 5G)

Will take do with other Far-Eastern nations to the detriment of the West as what China will produce will be cheaper.

China has always played a long game and the argument that they steal technology etc is thin. Industrial espionage is a global business and anyone at the cutting edge of a field is going to be both a target and be targeting others. The West is largely the creator of this situation by offshoring vast amount of manufacturing to China because it could be done cheaper and companies could make more money.

[notathome]

Re: > 18 months stockpile of essential chips

Ironically the best stealers of technology apart from USA is France and Israel govts. Both countries have deeping relationships with China CCP at the expense of USA. Now Joe Starlin-Biden is coming in he will give away the remaining technology for a fire sale donation to friends.