The situation Chen Xia described was one he had experienced in his previous life, so he was definitely not exaggerating.
The people from the relevant departments sitting in the back of the conference room frowned when they heard this, because this went against the current mainstream thinking in the country.
Why did China not attach importance to chips in the 1980s, including 1993 when Chen Xia was there? This had something to do with the social situation at the time. It was not just a lack of money.
(Of course money and traitors are the two main factors)
For example, electronic products were not the mainstream of that era. The computer penetration rate in my country was quite low at that time. Even in government agencies, records were mainly based on pen and paper. How many leaders had ever used a computer?
At that time, there were no mobile phones like the ones everyone uses today. Domestic cars were still mainly mechanized, and domestic color TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines used the simplest chips, or even no chips at all.
These leaders themselves are not involved in industries that need chips, and with traitors like "Zhongliehou" fooling around and promoting them, naturally, no one pays attention to the chip industry and thinks it is something dispensable.
Especially when importing a wafer production line costs hundreds of millions of dollars and investing in a large chip factory requires tens of billions of dollars, everyone was scared.
Gradually, the idea of "it's better to buy than to make" became the mainstream concept.
Chen Xia's deception continues:
“Maybe you don’t know much about me, but Professor Zhang Lianchang knows that I like to have all the production and manufacturing links under my control.
For example, everyone knows that our Four Seasons Group started out as a pharmaceutical factory. I make traditional Chinese medicines. From the planting of medicinal materials to the processing of raw materials to the production links, we control everything ourselves.
We develop medicine. I have my own lab, where I can invent drugs; my own pharmaceutical factory, where I can produce them; and even my own hospitals and pharmacies, where I can sell them. I control every aspect of the process myself, producing and selling my own products.
Similarly, we are now engaged in medical devices and instruments. I also recruited many professors and experts from all over the country to join our Mingde Village Research Center, conduct our own research and inventions, and then apply for relevant patents.
Now, with just one chip missing from all the links, some might argue that spending billions of dollars on production lines and hundreds of millions, or even billions, of semiconductor research is unnecessary. It would be better to just spend a few thousand or tens of thousands of dollars on the actual production.
No, I want to make it myself. I would rather spend billions of dollars now than be forced to spend tens or hundreds of billions of dollars to import it in the future. The key is that you may not be able to buy it, and others will not sell you the most advanced ones!
Therefore, I sincerely invite all the professors and experts present here to join our Four Seasons Group's chip plan. Let us first understand the foreign technology, and then study our own lithography machines.
When one day we produce our own chips, and even surpass the level of the United States, Japan, the Netherlands and other countries, then our companies and our country will have truly stood up!"
“Okay~~~~~~”
As soon as Chen Xia finished speaking, someone stood up and excitedly shouted "Great!", and then the venue erupted in warm applause.
There was nothing grandiose in Chen Xia's words, but it was this sincere tone, this understanding of the semiconductor industry, and his optimism about the future of chips that resonated with these experts.
All the grievances they had accumulated in the past suddenly burst out.
Yeah, who the hell said chips aren't important? Who said chips have no future?
Look at Comrade Chen Xia, a drug seller who's so aware, why can't some people even see through this? Or are they just pretending not to see through it?
Either stupid or bad!
Professor Ping Heguang of Huaqing University asked loudly:
"Comrade Chen Xia, are you truly prepared? Do you know that semiconductor research requires a significant amount of funding? A single machine in the lab costs millions of dollars. Are you mentally prepared for this?"
Chen Xia chuckled twice and looked at Zhang Lianchang.
Zhang Lianchang quickly introduced in a low voice: "This is Professor Ping Heguang from Huaqing University, an old colleague of mine."
"Professor Ping, you asked a good question. The semiconductor industry is very expensive. I've learned a lesson this time. Five wafer production lines cost more than $2 billion, which almost drained all my private savings.
But don't worry, the combined annual profits of all our branches in Four Seasons Group exceed 1.5 billion US dollars. Another big part is the licensing fees for our pharmaceutical patents, which exceed 3 billion yuan a year, not to mention my other personal investments.
I want to do research, which is a long-term endeavor. It's impossible for me to empty my family's pocket all at once, right? I can guarantee continued investment in chip research. I think $1 billion a year should be enough, right?
Several professors sitting below spat out the tea in their mouths.
A billion dollars a year, which translates to 8 billion RMB, is just how impressive! In 1982, China launched semiconductor research and formed a national team, but only allocated 200 million RMB.
With 8 billion yuan a year, what kind of research can't be done?
Not to mention 8 billion, even if you give 1 billion, these semiconductor professors who are afraid of poverty will be very happy, because this money is enough to start the project.
Chen Xia's requirements for chips are not high and the scope involved is not wide, so he just lets them focus on medical chips, which will make the research much simpler.
But in the chip industry, one thing leads to another.
When your medical chips become the best and most advanced in the world, Four Seasons Group will actually have fully mastered the most advanced chip manufacturing technology.
When necessary, it is possible to transform itself into a major chip manufacturer. Chen Xia did not say this because he did not want to provoke certain countries.
Chen Xia's promises made every expert in the conference room excited, especially when Chen Xia said that the annual salary of each professor and expert would not be less than 200,000 Hong Kong dollars, they actually surrendered in their hearts.
You can engage in your favorite semiconductor research and earn a high salary. Intellectuals are honest, but not stupid. They can always tell the difference between good and bad.
The only person who still had concerns at the scene was Professor Xie Xiwang.
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