Core Viewpoint - The discussion centers around whether the semiconductor industry in mainland China can find alternative paths to achieve technological advancements and potentially surpass Taiwan's TSMC, especially in light of the challenges faced in advanced process nodes like 3nm and 2nm [1][5]. Group 1: Industry Dynamics - TSMC's former vice president suggested that mainland China might develop new technologies that could bypass the challenges of advanced nodes, such as using 7nm technology to achieve functionalities similar to 5nm [5]. - The semiconductor industry has seen escalating costs in advanced process development, with 3nm research costs reaching billions of dollars, while physical limitations like leakage and heat generation become more pressing [5]. - Despite being behind in traditional processes, mainland China's large market and lower costs provide fertile ground for innovation and experimentation [5]. Group 2: Recent Developments - A domestic research institute recently announced breakthroughs in gallium oxide semiconductor materials, which could significantly enhance performance in high-frequency and high-voltage applications, potentially circumventing existing silicon-based process limitations [5]. - A leading chip design company is reportedly testing a "compute-storage integration" architecture chip, achieving near 5nm AI computing power using 7nm technology, exemplifying the concept of using older nodes to perform tasks typically associated with newer nodes [5]. - The demand for cost-effective chips in the booming domestic electric vehicle and IoT markets is driving the commercialization of these new paths, with local wafer fabs operating at full capacity on 14nm lines [5]. Group 3: Community Reactions - Industry professionals express optimism about the potential for "new path" advancements, citing examples of overcoming Western sanctions and developing new packaging technologies that can match the performance of newer processes while reducing costs [6]. - Historical parallels are drawn, suggesting that the semiconductor industry could replicate past successes in other tech sectors where countries have "leapfrogged" traditional methods to achieve leadership [7]. Group 4: Challenges Ahead - While there are opportunities in pursuing new paths, challenges remain in standardizing technologies like Chiplet, which require collaboration across the supply chain, making it more complex than simply advancing process nodes [7].