Due to the U.S. technology blockade and the global pandemic, chip shortages are intensifying in China, affecting production in several industries, from cars and cell phones to home appliances.

"(Shenzen) Foton Motor's world class factory has produced so many oddballs, thousands of them, but they can't by sold. Why? No chips."

Posted Sep 13, 2021 by China Insights:

 

Could poor investments and worse decisions on how to run their businesses have anything to do with the problems they are experiencing. Producing and selling fake chips or "leadframes encased in plastic" is dishonest and reprehensible regardless of where in the world it happens. If that is the reputation they want to cultivate then I wish them all the misfortune they can handle. Running a semiconductor company is not a trivial undertaking and there is no room for dilettantes.

 

This sounds like a bad year to be buying those good deals on chips through eBay. Even after production of new chips resumes, it will probably take a long time to flush the "fake chips" out of the market. The best solution, for those who can, is just wait and watch formal supply channels for a resumption of availability of chips we can rely on. Any alternatives?

 

I suspect that there will be a lot of electronic device failures in the future due to "fake chips". Hopefully not on critical systems where lives could be lost. Also anyone repairing electronics in the future will have to take this trend into account.