The Chinese mainland has witnessed a rapid growth in its integrated circuit(IC) industry, a survey by the Electronic Engineering Times-Asia (EE Times Asia) said Tuesday.
It said, according to US market research firm iSuppli Corp, the Chinese mainland's IC design revenues are increasing at an annual average rate of 30 percent.
The survey, conducted among 105 IC design houses in the Chinese mainland and 84 in Taiwan, indicated that the Chinese mainland's IC industry presents tremendous potential.
Results showed that design houses in the Chinese mainland are expected to achieve average revenues of US$2.68 million in 2003, growing 43 percent annually to reach US$3.83 million in 2004.
The survey indicated that 53 percent of the design houses in the Chinese mainland have introduced process technology of 0.25 microns or less for digital design.
In the Chinese mainland, communications topped the list of applications with 64 percent of respondents' IC designs destined for that segment, consumer electronics followed at 59 percent, it said.
The survey also indicated that a high percentage of the mainland's IC design houses present a broad range of services in addition to design, including intellectual property provision, testing services and electronics design automation tool rental.
The survey indicated that 63 percent of design houses in Taiwan have introduced technology of 0.25 microns or less for digital design. And 64 percent of Taiwan respondents cited consumer electronics as the most common area of application, while computer and peripherals took second place with a 52 percent response.
The Hong Kong-based EE Times Asia is a biweekly design engineering publication published by eMedia Asia Ltd, a joint venture between Nasdaq-listed Global Sources and CMP Media LLC, a leading integrated media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum.
(Xinhua News Agency May 7, 2003)
