BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Despite global uncertainties and talk of decoupling, U.S. semiconductor manufacturer ON Semiconductor Corporation (onsemi) is doubling down on its China strategy, given the country's leading role in global innovation, said the company's chief executive officer Hassane El-Khoury.
El-Khoury emphasized the company's strong confidence in the Chinese market in an interview with Xinhua during the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, the world's biggest auto show, which concluded on Sunday.
Reflecting on the global challenges of recent years, El-Khoury noted that onsemi made two important decisions regarding its Chinese operations. "Decision number one was that we will not leave China. We still have good people, good design, good customers and good technology," he said.
"Decision number two was that we will always bring our latest technology to China," El-Khoury added. He explained that while some companies bring prior-generation tech to the Chinese market, onsemi understands that local innovation requires the most advanced solutions to succeed.
This commitment is backed by the company's recently announced 50-million-U.S.-dollar investment in China over the next three years. A significant portion of this investment is directed toward accelerating innovation.
Breaking away from the traditional "in China, for China" mindset, onsemi views the country as a vital R&D and system solution center. "Everybody thinks about China, oh, it's a big market, so let's sell to China. But it is also a place where innovation is happening at remarkable speed," El-Khoury said.
The company has adopted a China strategy that can be described as "innovate with China, power the world." By innovating locally, onsemi aims to scale globally alongside its Chinese customers, creating a natural win-win scenario.
Last month, onsemi announced an expanded strategic collaboration with Chinese carmaker NIO to advance next-generation electric vehicle (EV) platforms by accelerating NIO's transition from 400V to 900V architectures, helping NIO deliver more efficient, high-performance vehicles to customers worldwide.
The sheer speed of development in China's automotive sector also necessitates the localized approach. El-Khoury expressed his amazement at the auto show, noting that many vehicles available for purchase in China are comparable to concept cars that would elsewhere remain at the concept stage.
"For us, the innovation here is happening at such a speed that you have to do it here, otherwise, you will never catch up," he told Xinhua.
In 2025, China's new energy passenger vehicles had accounted for 68.4 percent of the global market. Such large-scale production and industrial chain self-reliance have combined to significantly lower NEV purchase costs, driving the popularization of green travel.
Rather than just selling to the supply chain, the U.S. chip manufacturer is dedicated to deep collaboration across the Chinese ecosystem. This involves working closely with local partners regarding complex systems engineering.
El-Khoury's steadfast commitment to navigating this multifaceted market is profoundly shaped by his personal experience. Having left Lebanon for the United States as a teenager, he draws direct parallels between his early life in the Middle East and the current global environment.
"If you look at my childhood and the Middle East and the situation over there, and then you look at the situation globally today, there's one thing in common: uncertainty," he reflected.
By accepting that outcomes cannot always be controlled, El-Khoury focuses on what he can manage: execution. Over the past few years, as the semiconductor industry faced COVID-19, supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions and natural disasters, his childhood experiences equipped him to adapt quickly and help shape the company's resilient responses.
Looking ahead at the global energy crisis pushing the EV transition, El-Khoury highlighted China's continuous innovation as a sustainable advantage that exports vital technology to the rest of the world. In an environment of global uncertainty, the CEO maintained that continuous dialogue, predictability, and a focus on helping customers win will always prevail. ■
