By the way, for those who think China didn't try to create electronic industry supply chain before are mistaken.
I don't blame them. They might get that impression from the current Chinese administration.
But before the current Xi administration, previous administrations had being putting significant resources in building a semiconductor fab industry. Sometimes, even to the point of having negative returns.
Can you get more significance when the son of China's president (and Party chairman) try to start up a semiconductor fab?
That is right. The son of President Jiang Zemin, Jiang Mianheng started the Grace Semiconductor in 2000. He started the fab with Winston Wang of Taiwan. Winston Wang is the son of Taiwan's Formosa plastic king. Winston Wang is also politically closer to DPP (the pro- Taiwan independence party).
Also in 2000, SMIC was started by another Taiwanese, Richard Chang. Richard Chang is regarded as the father of China's semiconductor industry. Richard is a devout Christian. Part of the reason of him wanting to go to China is to spread the word of gospel.
He brought hundreds of Taiwanese engineers to start the SMIC. He built special school where the curriculum is based on Taiwan school system. His company has school that uses textbooks that says communists steal China from the Nationalist. Japanese had made significant contribution to the economy of Taiwan, how Taiwan is being bullied by China, etc...
All of these are approved by the Chinese government.
You think Jiang Zemin's administration will take all those crap if he is not eager to create a semiconductor industry.
The problem is government didn't force it's domestic firms to use domestic source from get go for national security reason.
The government just let market force dictate, of course , domestic parts can never take off, those are generally shunned by domestic companies.
It's the job of government to pass law to force domestic companies to use domestic parts even if they are inferior to start with. With few years usage, the parts will be competitive. But Chinese government never try.