logo
Xiaomi XRING 01: Chinese company unveils flagship chip, commits $6.9B investment in industry

Xiaomi XRING 01: Chinese company unveils flagship chip, commits $6.9B investment in industry

Express Tribune20-05-2025

Xiaomi has announced a major advancement in its semiconductor ambitions with the unveiling of its in-house XRING 01 system-on-chip (SoC), manufactured on a 3-nanometre (nm) process.
This makes Xiaomi the first Chinese company to develop a smartphone chip using 3nm technology, according to Chinese media outlet Ming Pao.
The announcement was made by Xiaomi Founder and CEO Lei Jun via Chinese social platform Weibo on Monday.
The XRING 01 is reportedly manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), placing Xiaomi alongside Apple, Samsung and Huawei as the fourth smartphone brand globally to design its own mobile SoC using 3nm technology.
In a parallel strategic move, Xiaomi also revealed plans to invest 50 billion yuan (approximately $6.94 billion) in chip development over the next decade.
The long-term investment, which begins in 2025, underscores the company's commitment to reducing reliance on foreign semiconductor suppliers amid global supply chain shifts and geopolitical pressures.
A Xiaomi spokesperson confirmed the investment figure to the Wall Street Journal, stating the funds will be directed towards advancing proprietary chip design and related R&D initiatives.
According to The Daily Star, Xiaomi has already allocated 13.5 billion yuan to research and development for the XRING 01 chip, supported by a team of over 2,500 employees.
The chip marks the company's latest attempt to enter the competitive semiconductor landscape, following the underwhelming performance of its first chip, the Surge S1, launched in 2017.
As part of its broader product strategy, Xiaomi is set to unveil several new devices this week in conjunction with its 15th anniversary celebrations.
According to GSMArena, the company will launch the Xiaomi 15S Pro smartphone, Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra tablet and its first electric SUV, the YU7, on 22 May.
The XRING 01 chip launch positions Xiaomi as a serious contender in the global semiconductor race, as Chinese tech firms intensify efforts to build self-sufficient supply chains amid mounting international scrutiny.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Indonesia begins $5.9bn EV battery project despite environment fears
Indonesia begins $5.9bn EV battery project despite environment fears

Business Recorder

time20 minutes ago

  • Business Recorder

Indonesia begins $5.9bn EV battery project despite environment fears

JAKARTA: Indonesia broke ground Sunday on a $5.9 billion megaproject for EV battery production backed by Chinese giant CATL, despite NGOs raising concerns over a lack of environmental guarantees. Indonesia is the world's largest nickel producer and it is trying to capitalise on its vast reserves, with a 2020 export ban spurring a domestic industrial boom of the key metal used in EV batteries and stainless steel. The EV battery project will include a $4.7 billion investment on the eastern island of Halmahera and a $1.2 billion investment in West Java, energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia said in a speech alongside President Prabowo Subianto. 'According to my calculation, it won't take long, in probably between five to six years we will be able to reach energy self-sufficiency,' Prabowo said at a groundbreaking ceremony in Karawang, West Java. Bahlil said the Halmahera complex will focus on mining, smelting and production of cathodes which are a key component in rechargeable batteries. The West Java complex will focus on battery cell production, the minister said. The two politicians did not say when the megaproject was slated to be operational, but Indonesian officials have said a CATL plant in Halmahera would open in March next year. Alongside CATL, the Halmahera complex is backed by China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Indonesia's state-owned Antam. Climate Rights International (CRI) and Greenpeace Indonesia this week issued a call for greater assurances from Jakarta that measures were in place to protect the surrounding environment at the bigger complex in eastern Halmahera. Environmental group Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) said in a statement Saturday that Jakarta was 'chasing vague economic growth while consciously ignoring the people's scream' to end damage to the environment and residents' livelihoods. Halmahera, a once-pristine island in the Maluku archipelago, has seen environmental damage increase as operations have grown at a large industrial park that hosts the world's largest nickel mine. A CRI report this month warned the Indonesian government was allowing environmental damage to go unchecked around the Weda Bay mine and the industrial park that hosts it. An AFP report last month detailed how the home of the nomadic Hongana Manyawa tribe was being eaten away by mining operations there.

The hidden cost of hefty borrowing
The hidden cost of hefty borrowing

Express Tribune

time3 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

The hidden cost of hefty borrowing

While infrastructure projects have brought critical improvements in energy generation, transport connectivity and logistics, they have also saddled Pakistan with an increasing debt burden. photo: file Listen to article Pakistan's recent move to secure a $3.3 billion loan package from Chinese banks has once again placed its economic dependence on Beijing in sharp focus. The deal, which includes a $2 billion syndicated loan and a $1.3 billion refinancing arrangement, is intended to provide much-needed short-term relief to Pakistan's low foreign exchange reserves. In June 2025, following the disbursement of these funds, the reserves rose to nearly $15 billion, offering a temporary cushion equivalent to about two months' worth of imports. However, beneath the surface of this fiscal reprieve lies a complex web of financial vulnerabilities and strategic risks that could undermine Pakistan's long-term economic sovereignty. China has emerged as Pakistan's largest bilateral lender, with outstanding loans exceeding $29 billion. Much of this lending is linked to infrastructure development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a central component of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While CPEC projects have brought critical improvements in energy generation, transport connectivity, and logistics, they have also saddled Pakistan with an increasing debt burden. Many of these loans are non-concessional, meaning they carry higher interest rates. Additionally, several Chinese-backed energy projects include capacity payment clauses that obligate Pakistan to make fixed payments regardless of power consumption, leading to billions in annual outflows. This contractual structure places sustained pressure on Pakistan's already overextended public finances. The current loan deal underscores a pattern that has developed in recent years: instead of retiring its obligations, Pakistan has increasingly relied on refinancing maturing Chinese debt. While this approach alleviates immediate liquidity crises, it does little to improve long-term sustainability. Refinancing delays the inevitable, creating a revolving door of repayments that expands the debt stock without addressing underlying structural weaknesses. As Pakistan's access to Western credit diminishes due to poor reform implementation and global risk perceptions, Chinese loans appear increasingly attractive because they are disbursed quickly and without stringent conditions. However, this convenience increases China's leverage over Pakistan – not only economically but diplomatically. The growing financial relationship shapes Pakistan's foreign policy calculus, particularly in matters related to India, the United States, and broader regional alignments. Efforts to diversify external financing have yielded some support. The World Bank recently approved a ten-year, $20 billion support package aimed at structural reform and development financing. Additionally, Pakistan remains under the IMF's Extended Fund Facility, which offers periodic tranches of funding subject to conditions such as tax reform, energy subsidy cuts, and improved fiscal management. Yet successive governments have struggled to meet these reform benchmarks, weakening credibility and leading to repeated interruptions in disbursement. In contrast, Chinese funding is politically less sensitive, often directed at visible infrastructure projects and devoid of institutional scrutiny, which makes it more attractive to policymakers under short-term political pressure. Without internal reforms, external financing — no matter how generous or immediate — cannot create sustainable stability. The challenge is not merely about securing foreign funds but about using those funds to build institutional capacity, diversify the economy, and reduce dependency. Continued borrowing without a parallel commitment to reform merely postpones the crisis and locks Pakistan into a cycle of debt and vulnerability. Moreover, the bilateral nature of Chinese lending can undermine Pakistan's position in global credit markets. Multilateral lenders and private investors closely monitor sovereign debt profiles, and overreliance on one creditor can affect Pakistan's risk rating, borrowing costs, and diplomatic flexibility. Questions around repayment capacity, especially in light of high annual debt servicing requirements, may erode investor confidence and reduce future funding opportunities. The latest $3.3 billion package offers short-term relief but does little to change the fundamentals. It is, in essence, a temporary fix that masks a growing problem. Every loan signed without reform commitments increases Pakistan's exposure to future crises. To move beyond this precarious cycle, Pakistan must take control of its economic trajectory. That means implementing broad-based reforms to expand the tax base, restructure public enterprises, improve energy sector efficiency, and enhance transparency in debt contracting. Only then can external financing serve as a tool for growth rather than a source of dependency. Multilateral lenders may impose tough conditions, but their long-term orientation and oversight mechanisms offer a pathway to resilience that bilateral loans alone cannot provide. In the short run, the Chinese loan provides breathing space and may help avoid immediate balance-of-payments crises. But in the long run, the real question is whether this dependence on a single creditor compromises Pakistan's ability to make independent economic choices. For Pakistan to secure a sustainable future, it must shift from firefighting to reform, from short-term relief to long-term resilience. The time to act is now. The writer is a member of PEC and holds a Master's in Engineering

Trump claims 'very wealthy' group to buy TikTok amid US ban threat
Trump claims 'very wealthy' group to buy TikTok amid US ban threat

Express Tribune

time6 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Trump claims 'very wealthy' group to buy TikTok amid US ban threat

Listen to article President Donald Trump said Sunday a group of buyers had been found for TikTok, which faces a looming ban in the United States due to its China ties, adding he could name the purchasers in two weeks. "We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way," Trump said in an interview on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. "Very wealthy people. It's a group of wealthy people," the president said, without revealing more except to say he would make their identities known "in about two weeks." The president also said he would likely need "China approval" for the sale, "and I think President Xi (Jinping) will probably do it." TikTok is owned by China-based internet company ByteDance. A federal law requiring TikTok's sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before Trump's inauguration on January 20. But the Republican, whose 2024 election campaign relied heavily on social media and who has said he is fond of TikTok, put the ban on pause. In mid-June Trump extended a deadline for the popular video-sharing app by another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States. Tech experts quickly described the TikTok kerfuffle as a symbol of the heated US-China tech rivalry. While Trump had long supported a ban or divestment, he reversed his position and vowed to defend the platform -- which boasts almost two billion global users -- after coming to believe it helped him win young voters' support in the November election. "I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok," Trump told NBC News in early May. "If it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension." Now after two extensions pushed the deadline to June 19, Trump has extended it for a third time. He said in May that a group of purchasers was ready to pay ByteDance "a lot of money" for TikTok's US operations. The previous month he said China would have agreed to a deal on the sale of TikTok if it were not for a dispute over Trump's tariffs on Beijing. ByteDance has confirmed talks with the US government, saying key matters needed to be resolved and that any deal would be "subject to approval under Chinese law." .

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store