Cellphone: the thing Chinese Vice-Premier, Intel CEO have to deal with
www.chinaview.cn 2004-11-15 00:06:02
BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Within two minutes, a Chinese researcher presented two newly-developed cellphones combining Intel chips with local system technology to Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, providing a pleasant break to the hour-long meeting between Zeng and Craig Barret, visiting chief executive officer of world's chip giant Intel, here on Monday.
The two cellphone, one able to play movies and the other able to relay real-time TV programs, represent the latest products developed by Intel's Chinese hires, which Barret believed may soonspread across the world.
"This stuff is great, but too fancy for old people like me," Zeng said. "I'd rather use a cellphone as simple as a remote control. With one click, everything is done."
For hundreds of thousands of young Chinese who can punch messages into their cellphone as fast as their parents type these items symbolize a future that Zeng won't try to deny.
He asked Barret to review the latest developments in the world's digital technology and was amused that Barret was also often annoyed by the fast-changing cellphone.
"When I hold staff meetings, some staff don't want to listen. They just lower their heads and play with their cellphones," the 65-year-old CEO complained.
After the two men shared a laugh, Barret pointed at the cellphone and said, "You know, this is something we have to learn how to deal with."
Zeng agreed. A few economic facts have piqued his interests in digital technology.
Information technology has become China's largest manufacturingsector, maintaining an average growth rate of 40 percent between January and September. Last year, China churned out 30 million PCsand finds its mobile and fixed phone subscribers growing by 10 million every month this year, Zeng said.
Looking to the future, both Zeng and Barret are optimistic.
"There is no end to the excitement," Barret said.
Attracted both by China's enormous market and its research and development potential, Intel is now making efforts to strengthen its business presence in China. To that end, the company has hiredmore than 4,000 Chinese employees, and its new project in Chengdu is scheduled to open in the second half of next year.
Barret guaranteed Zeng that Intel would continue to cooperate with Chinese companies and do research with Chinese universities to bring out new products. Intel would also continue to invest in engineering and manufacturing resources and conduct venture capital investment in China.
Barret said that Intel's R&D budget and capital investment in new machines would be around five billion US dollars each, but gave no clues to how much its China business will be granted.
Reviewing the world's fast change in broadband wireless, hyper-computing and optical technologies, Barret said that all Intel's previous projects are bearing fruit. Some products have even come out ahead of schedule.
Calling 2004 "a good year" for the overall semiconductor industry, which has grown 25 percent so far, Barret admitted some analysts had predicted "zero or flat" growth for the coming year.
"I don't know the forecast is correct or not. Personally I believe the industry will do better than the forecast to grow at 10 percent next year," he said.
Barret likened the semiconductor industry to the overall economy where some aspects can grow, some aspects can shrink.
"I am pretty sure Intel will do better than the overall industry since the increase of computers will stimulate the demandfor micro-processors," he explained.
Barret said that Intel would like to work with various Chinese ministries in a cooperative fashion to give them detailed understanding of its latest technology.
"Remember, we are never too old to learn technology," he said as he exchanged a parting handshake with Zeng. Enditem
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