Authorities abolish integrated circuit design certification

China has cancelled an integrated circuit design certification requirement, a move which is expected to boost development of the semiconductor industry.

Under structural and functional government reforms, four bureaus — China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ministry of Finance, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Taxation Administration — have stopped the certification process, according to a joint statement on the MIIT’s website on Wednesday.

All chip designers now can enjoy special tax and other policies without application and certification processes.

China’s integrated circuit design industry revenue reached 212.3 billion yuan (US$30.3 billion) in the first nine months of 2019, up 18.5 percent year on year, said the China Semiconductor Industry Association.