A new report reveals that Huawei has been managing more than 10 semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) across China, significantly expanding its presence in the chip manufacturing industry. Additionally, the company operates several research and development (R&D) facilities, bringing the total number of related sites to over 20.
According to TheElec, 11 of these fabs are dedicated to producing DRAM and other chipsets, while the remaining facilities focus on R&D. Semiconductor fabs are specialized factories where integrated circuits (ICs), processors, and related components are manufactured.
Sources indicate that Huawei’s chip plants are involved in producing memory chips and logic processors for smartphones and IoT devices. Some facilities function as foundries, offering contract manufacturing, while others serve as dedicated production lines.
This extensive network positions Huawei as a growing force in chip design and production. Below are some of the key facilities and their locations:
- Qingdao Si’En – Qingdao
- DGGMT (phone chips) – Dongguan
- PST (phone chips), PXW (largest capacity), SWX (DRAM chips), PJHT – Shenzhen
- JHICC – Fujian
The report notes that these plants operate under names seemingly unrelated to Huawei—a deliberate strategy, according to TheElec, to avoid U.S. scrutiny. For example, PST (formerly PXX) has undergone name changes due to shifts in ownership structure.
Notably, five of these facilities are reportedly capable of producing 7nm chips, with some already working on more advanced nodes. Companies like Si’En, DGGMT, PST, PXW, and SWX are actively developing 7nm and below processes.
The Chinese government plays a supporting role, holding shares in some of these firms. For instance, Qingdao Si’En falls under the oversight of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). However, Huawei remains the primary operator, a fact allegedly confirmed by employees at these plants.
This development underscores Huawei’s deepening investment in semiconductor self-sufficiency amid ongoing U.S. restrictions.
