Now, they better stock up those CPUs while they still can. It should've been obvious when this was first announced that this is coming.
I agree, more than Qualcomm, it is Intel and AMD that are critical to Huawei.
Huawei is already almost out of the phone business, eventually they will exit altogether, today this is not a big difference, we are not in 2019 anymore. Instead without Intel and AMD, Huawei has to give up the very remunerative and much more strategic cloud business. In the worst case they will fallback to be a full software company in the computing world, like it is Microsoft. But of course they will keep the communication business that is their core business and their key asset.
Instead, I am more worried when US administration will ban Intel and AMD chips for all the Chinese companies....that will hurt.
Maybe now it seems impossible, but within a year, if relations continue to worsen (and especially if China continues to grow), with US 2024 presidential campaign in full swing, I'd definitely not rule out this possibility.
His advice to Chinese scientists is that they tackle problems of making 90nm or 130nm chips before focusing on more advanced 28nm ones.
...and I advice him to find a new job.
He currently sells US semi equipment in China for a living. Doomsaying is part of his selling arguments....but the most dire and negative predictions I can foresee are about his job.