SMIC founder and AMEC CEO urge Chinese fabs to test domestic chipmaking tools on active production lines — equipment makers post record revenue but falling margins

https://www.tomshardware.com/author/luke-james· May 19, 2026 · 4:01 PM UTC ·11 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 50 views

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TL;DR · WeSearch summary

SMIC founder Richard Chang and AMEC CEO Dr. Gerald Yin have called for Chinese chipmakers to test domestic chipmaking tools on active production lines. Their appeal comes as Chinese semiconductor equipment vendors report record revenues but face declining profit margins due to intense domestic competition. The leaders emphasized the need for real production trials to enhance the performance of homegrown equipment.

Key facts

▪Chinese semiconductor equipment vendors achieved record revenues in 2025, but profitability is declining.
▪Chang and Yin urged Chinese fabs to conduct production-line trials with domestic tools to improve their effectiveness.
▪Chinese fabs are currently sourcing about 35% of their equipment domestically, up from 25% a year ago.

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Centre · 1

▪ SMIC founder and AMEC CEO urge Chinese fabs to test domestic chipmaking tools on active production lines — equipment makers post record revenue but falling margins — Reddit

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Original publisher	Tom's Hardware
Canonical URL	https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/smic-founder-and-amec-ceo-urge-chinese-fabs-to-test-domestic-chip-tools-on-production-lines
Publication time	Tue, 19 May 2026 16:01:15 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-05-19T16:04:57.772Z
Last seen	2026-05-19T16:05:06.150Z
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Citation coverage	Summary is a WeSearch-generated derivative; primary citation is the original publisher URL.
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Publisher visit	Yes — open original
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Tech Industry Manufacturing Semiconductors SMIC founder and AMEC CEO urge Chinese fabs to test domestic chipmaking tools on active production lines — equipment makers post record revenue but falling margins MEMBER EXCLUSIVE News Analysis By Luke James published 19 May 2026 Can Chinese tools thrive in production? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: SMIC) Share Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter SMIC founder Richard Chang and AMEC chairman and CEO Dr.

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