Tag: XiangShan

  • Encouraging Local Use of Open-Source RISC-V Chips in China

    Encouraging Local Use of Open-Source RISC-V Chips in China

    Key Takeaways

    1. The XiangShan project, initiated by China’s Academy of Sciences, aims to launch an open-source chip by the end of 2023.
    2. Chinese officials are developing policy guidance to promote the use of RISC-V chips, with documentation being worked on by eight government agencies.
    3. Major Chinese companies are increasingly adopting RISC-V architecture due to its cost-effectiveness and geopolitical neutrality.
    4. The chip market is dominated by American companies like Intel and AMD, which use proprietary technologies.
    5. The largest providers of RISC-V intellectual property in China include Alibaba-owned XuanTie and Nuclei System Technology, with growing demand expected for these chips.

    Back in 2019, the XiangShan project was started by China’s Academy of Sciences, aiming to introduce an open-source chip of the same name by the end of this year. A recent update has shown consistent progress, and insiders who know about local laws have reported that Chinese officials are developing policy guidance to promote the usage of RISC-V chips. Although many specifics are still vague, it appears that the draft could be wrapped up this month.

    Policy Development Details

    As reported by Reuters, two unnamed sources discussed the topic, revealing that eight government agencies are currently working on the documentation. These agencies include the Cyberspace Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, along with the National Intellectual Property Administration. Unfortunately, these four departments have not provided any comments about the ongoing policy discussions, but we will continue monitoring this situation closely.

    Industry Context

    The chip market is mainly controlled by American firms like Intel and AMD, both using proprietary technologies. In contrast, the open-source RISC-V chips have a geopolitically neutral stance. Furthermore, Chinese businesses have been increasingly focusing on this architecture due to its cost-effectiveness. The largest for-profit providers of RISC-V intellectual property in China are Alibaba-owned XuanTie and a startup named Nuclei System Technology. Because RISC-V chips generally require less computing power compared to alternative solutions, applications based on DeepSeek could drive higher demand for these chips both in China and internationally.

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  • China’s RISC-V Processor Project Aims for 2025 Launch with High Goals

    China’s RISC-V Processor Project Aims for 2025 Launch with High Goals

    The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is set to introduce its XiangShan open-source processor in 2025. This development represents a significant step in China’s efforts to create more domestic chips. Bao Yungang, the deputy director at the Institute of Computing Technology, shared this timeline in a recent Weibo post, emphasizing their steady progress in high-performance computing.

    Progress on XiangShan Initiative

    The XiangShan project was initiated by CAS in 2019, and it has achieved notable advancements with its third-generation architecture, named Kunminghu. Leaders of the project claim that this new architecture can offer performance within approximately 8 percent of Arm’s Neoverse N2 CPU core. This puts it close to being suitable for applications in cloud computing, high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and machine learning tasks.

    Focus on Optimization

    In 2024, the development team concentrated on enhancing Kunminghu’s efficiency regarding area and power usage. The processor features several parallel processing units that handle integer, floating-point, and vector operations, along with out-of-order execution capabilities. Simulations indicate that it can operate at speeds reaching up to 3GHz.

    Comparison with Previous Chips

    The earlier version, known as the Nanhu chip, was manufactured using a 14nm process node and could reach clock speeds of up to 2GHz. Launched in late 2023, Nanhu represented the project’s second generation of silicon technology.

    RISC-V and Licensing

    XiangShan utilizes the RISC-V instruction set licensed under the Mulan PSL-2.0, which grants users royalty-free rights to modify and use the design. This approach contrasts with the traditional licensing models provided by major companies like Arm and could potentially reshape the future of processor design, much like how Linux transformed the industry.

    Increasing Scrutiny

    Despite the advancements, the XiangShan project is facing increased scrutiny from the United States as China continues to embrace RISC-V technology. Recently, the U.S. Commerce Department has been evaluating possible security issues. Google has even taken steps to remove RISC-V support from the Android kernel, which could pose challenges for any upcoming RISC-V-based smartphones.

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