In a surprising turn of events, Sun Ninghui, a leading Chinese computer scientist and president of the China Computer Federation, has publicly criticized tech giant Huawei’s development model. Sun’s remarks, made in a video clip posted on Bilibili, suggest a growing rift between China’s academic community and its tech industry, reports the South China Morning Post.
Sun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and an expert in computer architecture and high-performance computing, warned that Huawei’s approach is “too closed and monopolistic”. He expressed concern that Huawei’s dominance across the entire technological chain in China, from chip manufacturing to AI models, could hinder the country’s ability to compete with the United States in the ongoing tech war.
“I think we are using this kind of Chinese-style closure and monopoly to fight Western-style monopoly and containment, which we certainly can’t win,” Sun stated in the video.
This critique comes at a time when Huawei is reportedly poised to unveil a groundbreaking AI semiconductor, potentially rivalling high-end chips that U.S. tech giants are prohibited from selling to China. The company has also been investing heavily in expanding its developer base, with a $1.5 billion incentive programme announced in 2019.
Debate in China’s tech community
Sun’s views have sparked debate within China’s tech community. Some experts agree that the dominance of a single company could stifle innovation, drawing parallels to Samsung’s impact on South Korea’s tech ecosystem.
The controversy has also highlighted tensions between academic researchers and industry players.
In a video released on Douyin, the Chinese sister app of TikTok, tech analyst Xiang Ligang said some scientists like Sun were “very depressed” and had “grievances against successful companies like Huawei” after the supercomputers they developed stopped taking part in world rankings.
This was a “big blow” to scientists such as Sun, who had no way of proving the strength of their machines, said Xiang, who described these supercomputing systems as “incapable or weak” in terms of practical use and commercial value.
The video has since been deleted.
The controversy arose against the backdrop of ongoing US sanctions and deteriorating US-China relations, which have led Chinese supercomputing institutions to stop submitting data to international rankings.
The wrangling over Huawei’s role in China’s tech ecosystem underscores the complex challenges facing the country as it strives to balance the need for rapid innovation with the potential risks of over-reliance on a single company.
