Shunyi district, Beijing focuses on semiconductor industry in innovation drive

Beijing's Shunyi district aims to build an innovative world-leading third-generation semiconductor industry cluster, officials said at the 2017 China International Forum on Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, known as IFWS, on Nov 1.

The global high-level forum was held alongside the 14th China International Forum on Solid State Lighting. It aimed to promote the development of the new semiconductor industry and integrate related sectors, technologies, personnel, finance and policies.

It was hosted by China Solid State Lighting Alliance, China Advanced Semiconductor Industry Innovation Alliance and the Shunyi district government.

The three-day forum attracted more than 50 experts from semiconductor organizations from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong and Taiwan to deliver speeches and share their ideas.

Construction has already launched at Beijing's semiconductor zone, marking a new development chapter in Shunyi district, according to an official at the opening ceremony of the forum.

A total of 66.67 hectares has been earmarked for the zone. Administration departments will integrate land resources and strengthen capital support to attract social investment and deepen industry and finance cooperation, according to the local government.

Another highlight of the forum was the industry promotional fair held on Nov 3, which attracted more than 100 experts and scholars.

At the fair, local officials said that Shunyi district will provide preferential policies, high-quality services and a good environment for companies and overseas professionals to assist in the semiconductor industry's development in Beijing.

"With its unique geographical location, growing economic strength, improving public services and good environment, Shunyi is one of the most quickly developing districts in Beijing.

"Now, the district is facing a new historical opportunity. The third-generation semiconductor material industry has bright prospects and is confirmed as one of the three innovative industry clusters in Beijing," said a local official.

In recent years, many important organizations have settled in Shunyi district, one after another. In 2015, China Solid State Lighting Alliance and Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission signed an agreement with Shunyi district to build a Beijing third-generation semiconductor innovation base.

China Advanced Semiconductor Industry Innovation Alliance was founded in 2015 with more than 70 member companies joining and a joint innovation incubator center, which has attracted 45 companies.

Shunyi district cooperated with Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands to establish a Chinese institute in 2016, which has started to enroll doctoral students. A total of 13 leading enterprises are due to launch major projects in Shunyi, such as Shandong Tianyue Co, Guangdong Elec-Tech International Co and China Electronics Technology Group Corp.

The district has gathered four trillion yuan ($600 million) in funds for sectors related to the semiconductor industry, including new energy vehicles, new-generation IT and aerospace, according to the local government. The funds provide a solid industrial foundation for the development of the third-generation semiconductor industry.

The district is expected to lead the third-generation semiconductor industry nationally, with an industrial scale reaching 100 billion yuan by 2025.

In the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), Shunyi district functions as an international aviation center, an innovation-driven economic district and a capital demonstration area of harmonious urban and rural coordination, focusing on national initiatives and new technology policies, such as Made in China 2025 and 2030 Projects.

Shunyi district has also made good progress as a pilot area for national intellectual property and as a demonstration zone of the opening-up of Beijing's services industry.