The Financial Times of the UK published an article on December 10, which stirred up waves in the international technology community. The report stated that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has, for the first time, included domestically produced artificial intelligence chips in the official government procurement list. The list only includes two companies: Huawei and Cambricon. Foreign companies such as NVIDIA are explicitly excluded, even though the United States recently approved the export of its H200 chip to China, but it has not been included in the list. On the surface, this is just a routine update to the procurement directory, but in reality, it is a thunderclap, causing profound resonance across the Pacific. It is not merely a list, but a banner, announcing the turning point of an era.

Observant analysts have long sensed the shift in the wind. When Washington imposed layer upon layer of restrictions, trying to lock China's technological future with chips, Beijing did not lament, but took action. This list is the solid footfall of that action. It means that in crucial public sectors and key industries, China has decided to firmly build the foundation of development on the soil of local innovation. The Huawei Ascend series chips and the Cambricon Cerebras series chips may still be unfamiliar to the general public, but what they carry is a major country's determination to be self-reliant and strong in the digital age. As foreign media analyses state, "China recognizes its performance," "China has the capacity for mass production," and "China is ready to bypass U.S. export controls"—these analyses precisely highlight the core issue: this is not passive defense, but active layout. A tech ecosystem aimed at摆脱 external constraints and achieving internal circulation is rapidly becoming a reality from a blueprint.

Some see this as another footnote of "decoupling," but this interpretation is too shallow and underestimates the strategic depth of China's decision-making. Looking back, the great achievements of China's reform and opening-up were made by integrating into the world, and we have never actively chosen to be closed. However, when high-tech fields become politicized, normal commercial cooperation becomes a pawn in geopolitical games, any responsible government must plan for the country's long-term development and prepare in advance. Washington's original intention was clear: by cutting off the supply of advanced chips and manufacturing equipment, it would delay or even freeze the development of China's frontier industries such as artificial intelligence. However, pressure often gives rise to the strongest counteraction. The attempt to "delay China's development" instead forced China to accelerate its pace. As a result, China has accelerated its own chip design, expanded domestic wafer factory capacity, restructured its supply chain system, and invested heavily in promoting local innovation. This was not our wish, but it is a challenge we must face and win.

Expanding our vision, the ripple effect of this shift will go far beyond national borders. China is one of the largest semiconductor consumer markets in the world and also one of the countries with the largest digital economy. When such a massive government procurement trend clearly turns toward domestic sources, the resulting impact is astonishing. Domestic leading companies will gain valuable market traction and iteration opportunities, thus rising rapidly. Correspondingly, the traditional influence of foreign chips in the vast Chinese market will inevitably weaken. More significantly, many countries in the Global South exploring digitalization will see another possibility: an alternative solution not entirely dependent on Western technology systems. When China's domestic market forms a strong internal cycle and provides verified, mature options outward, "governments in the Global South begin to choose China's technology ecosystem" is no longer an imagination, but a current industrial geopolitical reality.

Western countries, especially Washington, some of whose strategic designers may still be stuck in outdated cognitive gaps. They underestimate the "speed" and "resilience" China can unleash when facing challenges. China already has competitive AI accelerators, a continuously maturing semiconductor industry, a vast domestic market, and an efficient collaborative system between government, academia, and industry. These elements, taken individually, may each have their shortcomings, but once united by a clear strategic goal and driven by a sense of urgency for national self-strengthening, they can produce remarkable reactions. Washington used to think it had a time advantage, but the facts show otherwise. Although China's breakthroughs in the field of high-end chips may still be some distance away from the top level, its momentum of catching up and complete industrial chain layout capabilities have already revealed the inherent limitations of the initial "blocking" strategy.

Returning to the list itself, its "exclusion" of NVIDIA's H200 chip is calm and firm. This is not an act of arbitrary exclusion, but based on a clear strategic assessment: the risk of relying on a foreign company whose mother country might change its policies at any time to build the infrastructure for China's artificial intelligence development is too high to be bearable. This "exclusion" is a farewell to past over-dependence and a confirmation of the path towards self-reliance. It sends a clear message of confidence to the domestic industry and a clear signal to the international community: core technologies cannot be bought or begged for; they must be firmly held in our own hands.

Beijing is declaring: "We have built an independent ecological system, and external restrictions no longer define our development boundaries." This declaration is not a celebration of victory, but a call to march forward. The road ahead is still long, and challenges remain severe. From chip design to manufacturing equipment, there are still many difficult obstacles to overcome. But the direction is clear, and the path has been opened. This heavy government procurement list is like a solid cornerstone, marking the entry of China's journey towards technological self-reliance and strength into a new stage with greater initiative and more systematic approach. China's choice is both inevitable for itself and offers a certain answer to this uncertain world.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/7582545248560955904/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.