The Wuhan Q1 economic situation analysis meeting was held at the East Lake Hi-tech Development Zone on April 27. Before the meeting, Guo Yuanqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Wuhan Municipal Committee, and Chen Yongwen, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Wuhan Municipal Committee and Mayor of Wuhan Municipal People’s Government, led a team to the YASC Wuhan Base project site to conduct research and learn about the recent project progress and the Wuhan New Town construction promotion.
At the research site, Zhuang Dan, Executive Director and President of YOFC and Chairman of YASC, first introduced the YASC Wuhan Base construction since the project initiation and the future objectives in scientific and technological innovation to the team led by Party Secretary Guo Yuanqiang. The YASC Wuhan Base mainly focuses on the third-generation semiconductor power device research, development and production, with a total investment expected to exceed CNY 20 billion, he said. Once completed, the base will facilitate cooperation between upstream and downstream participants in the industrial chain covering equipment, materials, design, manufacturing, assembly and test, attract world-class high-caliber talent in silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors to Wuhan for employment and entrepreneurship, and help create an open, collaborative industrial ecosystem with active innovation and complete elements.
In view of its characteristics like high bandgap width, high saturation electron mobility, high operating temperature and high thermal conductivity, silicon carbide as a prime example for third-generation compound semiconductors is gaining acceptance in various fields such as automotive, charger and portable power supply. Especially in new energy vehicles (NEVs), silicon carbide has already become the first choice for power devices on the 800V platform, and is gradually replacing traditional silicon-based IGBT.
To this end, YASC has been focused on the silicon carbide power semiconductor product research, development and manufacturing since its inception, and made forward-looking planning for the Wuhan Base construction in 2022. The first phase of the project is expected to be topped out in June this year, and create production capacity in the first half of next year. Once completed, it will rank the top in silicon carbine production capacity in China, and fuel rapid development of the Chinese silicon carbide industry.
Party Secretary Guo Yuanqiang learned details about the YASC Wuhan Base development and inspected the project construction progress. He emphasized that officials should serve enterprises with heart and soul, help enterprises solve problems and difficulties, give play to the principal role of enterprises in technological innovation, and continuously consolidate and expand the unique advantages of the East Lake Hi-tech Development Zone in the optoelectronic information industry; step up efforts to attract, promote and construct major projects, continuously enhance quality of the city functionality, accelerate bringing together industry clusters, and help the Wuhan New Town construction gain momentum and deliver outcomes as soon as possible.
Wuhan Base, the first project in Wuhan New Town, has moved fast and efficiently with the strong support of the government and relevant units since the official groundbreaking in September 2023. Looking ahead, YASC will also live up to the trust, remains committed to innovation-driven development, contribute to making Wuhan New Town a silicon carbide innovation hub in China, and provide new impetus for the high-quality economic and social development.
