以外人的眼光來看，中國充滿希望、神秘以及讓人驚訝的矛盾。在某方面，中國對任何一個希望能進入龐大市場的人來說，是一塊擁有終極商機的土地；在另一方面，中國的威脅已經(jīng)升高到成為美國最大的競爭者──或者它已經(jīng)是了。也許我們并不完全羨慕中國，但我們已經(jīng)開始對這個國家產(chǎn)生畏懼。 事實上，我們對中國的感覺似乎很容易因為種種經(jīng)濟、社會或政治因素，而在兩個極端之間擺蕩；這些變動因素使得在中國做生意比你聽到的更困難。西方業(yè)者想進軍中國市場，需要學(xué)會管理期望以及對無法預(yù)期的狀況做準(zhǔn)備，還必須愿意維持長遠(yuǎn)的眼光，并為了長期作戰(zhàn)訂定經(jīng)營策略。 最近筆者有機會與恩智浦半導(dǎo)體(NXP Semiconductors)資深副總裁Drue Freeman對談，對這家荷蘭廠商對經(jīng)營中國市場的勤奮以及幾乎有條不紊頗感佩服。在近兩年前，我曾采訪過恩智浦首席執(zhí)行官Rick Clemmer，他說：“今日的恩智浦實際上是一家中國公司?！?參考閱讀) 大概是注意到我嚇得差點從椅子上跌下來，Clemmer接著解釋，恩智浦在中國賺到的錢比其他任何一個國家都多；在2012年，恩智浦在中國市場的營收幾乎是其歐洲市場營收的兩倍，而且該公司每三個員工就有一個是駐在中國，在當(dāng)?shù)貑T工總數(shù)有8,000名人。 時間快轉(zhuǎn)到兩年后，負(fù)責(zé)恩智浦全球汽車市場業(yè)務(wù)與營銷的Freeman，在被問到該公司與中國國營企業(yè)大唐電信(Datang Telecom Technology)合資成立無晶圓廠車用芯片設(shè)計的動機時，他的回答是：“我們一直認(rèn)為需要變得比原來‘更中國’?！笔病裁?？更中國？ 值得注意的是，恩智浦已經(jīng)是中國汽車市場最大的芯片供貨商；根據(jù)Strategy Analytics 的統(tǒng)計數(shù)據(jù)，恩智浦2012年在中國汽車市場占有率達(dá)10.5%，地位屹立不搖。 如Freeman表示，不同于系統(tǒng)業(yè)者──像是在中國做生意的海外汽車業(yè)者──芯片供貨商在中國并未被要求以合資公司的形式存在；既是如此，為何還要費事成立大唐恩智浦半導(dǎo)體(Datang NXP Semiconductors)？特別是恩智浦必須放下身段，接受僅擁有該合資公司49%股權(quán)的條件。(參考閱讀) 在 2011年將辦公室移至中國，而且一直到去年底都居住在當(dāng)?shù)氐腇reeman，有務(wù)實的眼光。他指出，恩智浦的汽車芯片業(yè)主要是鎖定連網(wǎng)汽車以及無鑰匙門鎖應(yīng)用：“現(xiàn)實的情況是，中國汽車芯片市場將隨著時間有所變化?！彼A(yù)見中國政府會在合法的范圍之內(nèi)，給予中國本地業(yè)者一些特殊待遇。 市 場研究機構(gòu)IHS最近有一篇報告指出，中國車用半導(dǎo)體市場今年將可取得11%的成長率，主要成長動力來自汽車消費者對車輛添加安全性功能，以及各種包括導(dǎo) 航在內(nèi)的車用信息娛樂功能之需求。有鑒于中國本地的無晶圓廠芯片業(yè)者是如何迅速崛起、主導(dǎo)智能手機與平板裝置SoC市場，預(yù)期未來中國芯片業(yè)者將在汽車應(yīng)用領(lǐng)域崛起也并非不合理。 因為被中國市場的規(guī)模迷住了而積極想進入，是一種非常投機取巧的想法；Freeman表示：“你能在短時間之內(nèi)賺到很多錢，但也很容易適得其反?！蔽鞣綐I(yè)者進入中國市場，須留意一些經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)的“軟性”貿(mào)易壁壘；因此恩智浦若想維持在中國汽車芯片市場 的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位，F(xiàn)reeman還是老話一句：你需要“更中國”。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 本文下一頁：恩智浦在能源轉(zhuǎn)換技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的長處

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{pagination} 恩智浦在能源轉(zhuǎn)換技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的長處 恩智浦與大唐的合資公司有幾個有趣的地方，首先是它被恩智浦稱為“中國首家真正專注于汽車芯片的公司”，但是其業(yè)務(wù)焦點卻非目前恩智浦車用半導(dǎo)體相關(guān)產(chǎn)品線所能用武之地，而是鎖定混合動力車輛與電動車。 Freeman 表示，更具體的說，大唐恩智浦將專注于經(jīng)營電動車/混合動力車輛應(yīng)用的“電池管理與能量轉(zhuǎn)換芯片”，包括DC-DC轉(zhuǎn)換器、功率與能量轉(zhuǎn)換器等等通常被稱 之為“閘極驅(qū)動器(gate driver)”的技術(shù)：“我們在電池管理與能量轉(zhuǎn)換解決方案所需的部分功能區(qū)塊上，擁有一些知識產(chǎn)權(quán)(IP)與專利?！? 在 被問到恩智浦是否會將那些IP利用在自家芯片，F(xiàn)reeman的答案是“否”： “雖然那些點子都很不錯，但被認(rèn)為不符合我們對車用半導(dǎo)體市場的策略重點。”恩智浦在汽車應(yīng)用市場專注于連網(wǎng)汽車應(yīng)用。至于被問到恩智浦IP似乎是新合資公司研發(fā)基礎(chǔ)時，F(xiàn)reeman則解釋：“我們的工程師在討論成立合資 公司之前，已經(jīng)工作了2~3年時間。” Freeman不愿透露太多恩智浦在電池管理以及能量轉(zhuǎn)換技術(shù)領(lǐng)域所開發(fā)的IP內(nèi)容， 被問到是否有潛在競爭者時，他則表示：“我想應(yīng)該是沒有。”但如果該技術(shù)與模擬與混合信號相關(guān)，像是凌力爾特(Linear)、德州儀器(TI)、亞德諾 (ADI)等公司的技術(shù)難道不類似嗎？他表示：“有可能，但并沒聽過任何一家競爭廠商宣布在中國市場有電動車或混合動力車的相關(guān)成果，我們認(rèn)為我們的技術(shù) 非常獨特。” 對恩智浦來說，目前是在中國建立專注于電動車之汽車芯片合資公司的最佳時機。首先是因為中國政府剛在去年9月公布了新一輪的節(jié)能車輛補助，目標(biāo)是在2020年讓500萬輛節(jié)能車上路。此外，混合動力車輛與電動車將會是一個中國汽車業(yè)者有機會大幅領(lǐng)先西方與日本同業(yè)的領(lǐng)域。 Freeman 指出，在一般車輛技術(shù)上，中國還面臨許多競爭對手，但：“為何中國該試著在西方業(yè)者所訂定的游戲規(guī)則里嘗試打敗他們？”于是恩智浦選擇了沒有包袱的電動車領(lǐng)域，來精進其技術(shù)。他認(rèn)為，由于傳統(tǒng)汽車仍有大量提升效率的空間，美國、歐洲與日本等地車廠的投資也大多是朝著這個方向，因此對于像是Tesla或一些 中國車廠等新進者來說，電動車市場有很大的商機。 中國政府對于在電動車市場投資數(shù)十億美元非常認(rèn)真，也為中國本土業(yè)者以及芯片供貨商提供了所需的開放性；藉由成為一家中國合資企業(yè)的股東，恩智浦將有機會取得中國政府的研發(fā)補助，而屆時其“變得更中國”的策略也將收效。大唐恩智浦預(yù)定在下個月正式開張營業(yè)。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Judith Cheng 參考英文原文：NXP: 'We Need to Be More Chinese'，by Junko Yoshida

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{pagination} NXP: 'We Need to Be More Chinese' Junko Yoshida, Chief International Correspondent MADISON, Wis. — Viewed from the outside, China often appears to be a nation full of promise, mystery, and startling contradictions. On one hand, China is the ultimate land of opportunity -- for anyone hoping to tap the huge market. On the other hand, China threatens to grow into our biggest competitor -- or it already has. If we don't entirely admire China, we are in awe -- and fear -- of China. Indeed, sentiments toward China tend to swing to either extreme so easily because of economic, social, or political upheavals. This volatility makes doing business in China a lot tougher than anyone cares to admit. In China, Western companies need to learn to manage their own expectations and stay prepared for the unexpected. They must be willing to hold the long view and develop a strategy for the long haul. In my recent conversation with Drue Freeman, senior vice president of NXP Semiconductors, I was struck by the Dutch company's diligent and almost methodical approach to China. It was almost two years ago when I first heard NXP CEO Rick Clemmer tell me in an interview: "NXP today is practically a Chinese company." Noticing that I almost fell off my chair, Clemmer went on to explain that NXP makes more money in China than in any other single country. By 2012, NXP's shipment-based revenue in Greater China was already twice as big as its European revenue, and one in every three employees at NXP was located in China. The Dutch company employs 8,000 people there. Now, fast forward two years later. When Freeman, responsible for NXP's global automotive sales and marketing, was asked what drove NXP to form a fabless automotive chip joint venture in China with China's state-owned Datang Telecom Technology Co., he simply said: "We've kept thinking that we need to be more Chinese than we already are." What? Needing to be more Chinese? Why JV? It's important to note that NXP has already become the biggest chip supplier in China's automotive market, with 10.5 percent market share in 2012, according to statistics compiled by Strategy Analytics. The Dutch company's automotive business is holding its own in China. Unlike system companies -- like car OEMs from abroad doing business in China -- chip vendors are not required to form JVs in China, according to Freeman. So why bother to found Datang NXP Semiconductors Co. Ltd., especially when NXP had to swallow its pride and accept a minority stake (49 percent)? Freeman, who moved his office to China in April 2011 and lived there until late last year, takes a practical view. Noting that NXP's automotive chip business is mostly centered on connected cars and keyless entry, Freeman told me, "The reality in China is that the [automotive chip] market will evolve over time." He foresees a shift whereby the Chinese government, while remaining within legal boundaries, would give preferential treatment to China's domestic players. As IHS Technology's recent research report noted, China's automotive semiconductor market is set for 11 percent growth in revenue this year, largely driven by an increasing desire among car buyers for added vehicle safety features and infotainment applications like car navigation. Given how quickly China's fabless chip companies have risen to dominate smartphone and tablet SoC markets, it's not unreasonable to picture the rise of Chinese chip companies in the automotive sector. It's one thing to go after the Chinese market, mesmerized by its size, in a very opportunistic way. "You could make a lot of money in a very brief period. But that can backfire easily," says Freeman. Western companies need to go into the Chinese market mindful of the "soft" trade barriers that often arise. To maintain a leadership role in the Chinese automotive chip market, NXP maintains Freeman's mantra: You need to be more Chinese. NXP's IP in energy conversion NXP's JV with Datang is interesting in several ways. The venture is what NXP calls "China's first true, dedicated automotive chip company." But the focus of its business has nothing to do with NXP's current product lines in the automotive semiconductor market. It's uniquely set up to go after the hybrid and EV market. More specifically, the venture is focused on "battery management and energy conversion" chips for EVs and hybrids, explained Freeman. The JV's focus will be on DC-to-DC conversion, power conversion, and energy conversion, often described as "gate driver" technology, Freeman said. "We have IPs and patents on functional blocks for some of those battery management and energy conversion solutions." Asked if NXP has leveraged any such IP in its own chips, Freeman said no. "Even though those are great ideas, they were considered outside our strategic focus on the automotive semiconductor segment at NXP." NXP's key focus has been connected cars. Asked about the NXP IP that appears to be the basis for the new JV's R&D, Freeman explained, "Our engineers had worked on it at least two to three years, prior to our JV discussion." Freeman remains vague about the exact IP NXP has developed in battery management and energy conversion. Asked about potential competitors, he said, "I'd like to say there are none." If the technology is related to analog and mixed signals, wouldn't companies such as Linear Technology, Texas Instruments, and Analog Devices have something similar? "They might. But none of the competitors had announced anything in China around EV or hybrid that we had heard. We think we have pretty unique technology." For NXP, there is no better time and place for establishing an automotive chip JV focused on EVs now in China. For one, the Chinese government announced a new round of clean car subsidies in September as part of its effort to get 5 million new energy-efficient vehicles on the road by 2020. It is an ambitious goal in a country grappling with some of the world's worst air pollution. Further, hybrids and EVs will be an area where China can leapfrog carmakers from the West and Japan. While acknowledging that China faces a lot of catchup with regular cars, Freeman said, "Why should China try to beat the Western car OEMs at their own game?" Much better, he said, for NXP to pick EVs -- where there is no legacy -- to advance its technologies. With substantial efficiency gains still to be had in conventional cars, investment by US, European, and Japanese car OEMs will continue in that direction, speculated Freeman. This opens a huge opportunity for newcomers such as Tesla or Chinese car companies in the EV market. The Chinese government is serious about spending billions to develop the EV market, providing Chinese domestic car OEMs and chip suppliers the opening they need. NXP, by becoming a minority shareholder of the China-based JV, will have access to Chinese government R&D subsidies. That's when becoming "more Chinese" will pay off. Datang NXP Semiconductors Co., based in Rudong, is scheduled to hold an opening ceremony next month.