Illustration: Luo Xuan/GT

There has been a renewed buzz around Chinese chip maker Loongson Technology Corp since the unveiling of its latest processor architecture in mid-August, adding to hopes for progress in the nation's long-held ambition to boost its processor self-sufficiency.

With growing importance being attached to information security, there needs to be faith in the outlook for China's homegrown chip making, despite seemingly formidable challenges that lie ahead.

Unlike other technology areas in which China has managed to become self-sufficient, such as telecommunications, PCs and smartphone manufacturing, the nation remains a laggard in terms of chip making, with its homegrown CPUs still a footnote next to the names of Intel, AMD and ARM.

Loongson, formerly known as Godson, has been around since 2001. Partly in order to set itself apart and have some independence from global rivals, it uses the MIPS instruction set. But MIPS is not nearly as well-known as offerings from Intel and AMD, the main choices for PCs, and ARM, the top processor designer for mobile devices.

However, Loongson processors, developed by the Institute of Computing Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have long carried the hopes for homemade chips to take on the likes of Intel.

An online poll on Chinese Internet portal sina.com.cn back in November 2006 found that 71.7 percent of more than 13,000 respondents believed Loongson chips would gain a firm foothold in the CPU market. But it hasn't happened yet, despite hefty government backing.

Loongson's chosen MIPS-based architecture makes it difficult for a compatible base of software to be developed, which is essential for the commercial success of CPUs. By comparison, Intel, ARM and AMD have worked out their respective viable ecosystems, comprising a wide variety of compatible software and hardware.

The significance of developing a viable ecosystem is especially prominent in the consumer electronics market, with the lack of success of the Windows Phone in the smartphone world being a vivid example of the consequences of failing to build a strong app ecosystem.

Even so, Loongson's recent launch of its latest processor architecture and two processors based on the architecture has reignited optimism that the local alternative might yet be able to compete.

While the homegrown chip maker's newest processor architecture is only at the same level as initial generations of Intel's Ivy Bridge and AMD's Steamroller chips, and several generations behind the two mainstream CPUs' latest architecture, ramped-up efforts have been made to sharpen the competitiveness of the Loongson-centered ecosystem.

Loongson has built a research and development (R&D) team of 400 people, and has teamed up with hundreds of companies that develop downstream solutions, so that there are now nearly 10,000 people involved in Loongson chip-based R&D, Hu Weiwu, president of Loongson Technology, was quoted as saying on the chip maker's website in mid-August.

This suggests that after years of experience in the market, a new independent ecosystem around the homegrown processor is in the making.

There are still concerns that Loongson's choice of MIPS could backfire, which could be to the benefit of Hi-Silicon, Huawei Technologies Co's chip arm, which has been stepping up production of ARM-based processors. 

However, against the backdrop of rising demand for self-sufficiency in processors, there is reason to believe that the government's heightened focus on information security will boost Loongson's chances of commercial success.

More patience is still needed regarding real innovation in the CPU market by a local name.

It is unrealistic to expect the dream to become reality any time soon, but it would also be unwise to ditch the ambition just because of the challenges it involves.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn