Will China Succeed In Memory?

The country is banking on DRAM and NAND to reduce its trade deficit.

Feb. 19, 2018 – 

China's fledging memory makers are expected to reach a major milestone and move into initial production this year, although vendors are already running into various roadblocks.

China's domestic vendors are focusing on two markets, 3D NAND and DRAM. In both cases local vendors are either behind in technology, struggling to develop these products, or both. And one vendor recently was hit with a lawsuit over alleged trade theft, renewing fears about the lack of intellectual-property (IP) protection in China.

Still, China is moving full speed ahead in memory as well as IC design, logic and packaging. Armed with billions of dollars in funding, China wants to develop its domestic semiconductor industry because it currently imports the vast majority of its chips from foreign suppliers. That has created an enormous trade gap.