Beijing: A senior Huawei executive known across China as the “chip queen” is becoming one of the most talked about figures in the country’s technology industry as Huawei continues its efforts to overcome United States sanctions and strengthen China’s semiconductor sector.
He Tingbo, the longtime head of Huawei’s chip design division HiSilicon, has gained renewed attention following recent reports about Huawei’s progress in advanced chip technology. Her leadership is now being widely celebrated in Chinese media and online discussions as a symbol of the country’s determination to achieve greater technological independence.
He joined Huawei in the 1990s and spent years quietly building the company’s semiconductor business. Over time, HiSilicon developed into one of China’s most important chip design companies. However, her role became especially critical after 2019 when the United States imposed restrictions on Huawei, limiting the company’s access to advanced American technology and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
The sanctions created major difficulties for Huawei’s smartphone and telecommunications businesses. Many industry experts believed the measures would seriously weaken the company’s future in global technology markets. Instead, Huawei responded by increasing investment in domestic research and development while searching for alternative ways to continue producing advanced chips.
Recent Reuters reports highlighted Huawei’s new chip development strategy, which is attracting significant attention inside China’s technology sector. The company introduced a concept called the “Tau Scaling Law,” which focuses on improving chip performance by reducing the time data travels inside semiconductor circuits rather than only shrinking transistor size.
Huawei believes this approach could allow Chinese chips to achieve performance levels close to advanced 1.4 nanometre technology within the next five years. Industry experts say this is an important step because China still faces restrictions on obtaining the world’s most advanced chipmaking equipment from foreign suppliers.
The company has also introduced another technology called “LogicFolding,” which reorganises chip structures to improve speed and efficiency. Analysts say these efforts reflect China’s wider push to reduce dependence on Western semiconductor technology and build stronger domestic capabilities.
Huawei’s progress comes at a time when competition in artificial intelligence technology is increasing rapidly around the world. The company’s Ascend AI chips are now being tested and used by several major Chinese technology firms as alternatives to products from American chip giant Nvidia.
Reports suggest companies such as Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance have shown growing interest in Huawei’s AI processors. Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has also reportedly adapted its models to work with Huawei chips, helping strengthen confidence in the company’s products.
Huawei recently said it had mass produced hundreds of chip models over the past six years despite international restrictions. The company is also expecting strong growth in its AI chip business this year as demand for artificial intelligence systems continues to rise across China.
Even with these achievements, Huawei remains under close scrutiny from several Western governments over security concerns linked to its telecommunications equipment. The company has repeatedly denied accusations that its products pose security risks or support Chinese state surveillance.
Inside China, however, public opinion surrounding Huawei has become strongly supportive. Many people view the company as a national success story that continues to survive under difficult international pressure. He Tingbo’s rise has added a personal face to that story, especially for young engineers and technology students who see her as an example of determination and innovation.
As global competition over artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology intensifies, Huawei’s efforts and the growing recognition of its “chip queen” are likely to remain at the centre of China’s ambitions to become a major leader in advanced technology.