Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 266 Our Friends Are All Over the World
Professor Xu was overjoyed; another order!
Previously, they were very frustrated because they didn't have a single order. But everything changed after they started cooperating with Northwestern Polytechnical University!

Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) directly committed to placing an order for the purchase. Later, the client changed to a new company jointly established by NPU and Factory 4433. Moreover, based on the size of the other party's company, the demand for lithography machines will definitely be continuous in the future. They alone can support their own side.

Now, there are new orders!

Shanghai Components Factory No. 5? Aren't they supposed to be buying lithography machines from the West?
"Director Xu? What brings you here?" Liu Gensheng asked curiously from the stage.

"Well, I came to the capital to report to the leaders on the recent achievements of our Shanghai Components Factory No. 5. I heard you were here, so I came over. I was downstairs just now and overheard Comrade Qin Liang's words, which were very inspiring. If we don't support domestic products ourselves, who will? If domestic products can't be sold, it will create a vicious cycle! Although we have already set our sights on CGA's lithography machines, now..."

As he spoke, Director Xu had already made way through the crowd and walked onto the stage.

"Now, on behalf of Shanghai Components Factory No. 5, I am ordering two self-produced lithography machines from Huaxi Microelectronics Equipment Company!"

"Thank you for your trust. We will speed up the production process and start production for you after delivering to Zhenhua Electronics!" Professor Xu said. "Please rest assured that our lithography machines are no less high quality than those from abroad, and our performance is among the kind that are prohibited from being sold abroad!"

"Yes, we're all waiting for your lithography machine!"

Two hands clasped together, and below, reporters' cameras clicked incessantly, taking photos.

By tomorrow, these news items will be on the front page of every newspaper, and may even appear on television screens tonight.

The main characters today are these two, while Qin Liang, who is playing a supporting role, has a bright smile on his face.

Those words weren't specifically directed at the people from Component Factory No. 5. After all, Qin Liang of this era didn't really know them. It was just Qin Liang speaking from his own feelings. He just hoped to wake up those good-for-nothing guys!
Look at South Korea. When buying a car, they try their best to choose domestically produced cars. You know, when South Korea's automotive industry was just starting out, the quality was ridiculously poor and couldn't compare with the reliable cars from island nations. But they still support domestically produced cars with their actions.

Now that Shanghai Components Factory No. 5 has stepped forward, I will lend a hand when needed in the future; this is a way of returning the favor.

Across the ocean, in Silicon Valley, USA, at Intel Corporation.

“I also saw the lithography machine made in the East at the Paris Industrial Exhibition. Overall, it has reached the level of our mid-1970s,” Gordon Moore said. “They can achieve chip manufacturing process of about 1.5 micrometers using their own lithography machine, which is the technology that our 286 processor will adopt.”

“Yes, it’s obvious that the Easterners are doing this to copy our 286 processor.” Andy Grove’s face was full of anger: “According to our research and development schedule, this processor will be officially put into production in another year. At that time, the Easterners will get the samples first and then copy them!”

The 8086 processor was already ubiquitous; in fact, 8086 computers manufactured in the East were even exported overseas, which greatly annoyed Intel. They even went to Intel to question them, but were tricked into returning home.

Now, they have a premonition of what the Easterners will do next!

“Yes, we can’t hesitate any longer. We must push Congress to introduce relevant policies as soon as possible. Even if we’re trying to win over Easterners, we have to make them understand the importance of intellectual property rights!” Gordon Moore said. “Those guys don’t even know how to respect knowledge!”

Andy Grove stood up: "That's right, I'll go to Congress right now!"

Is it anger over the infringement by the East? Actually, no! These people all felt a hidden unease. Once the East develops its chip industry, it will become a powerful competitor to Intel! The island nation's chip industry is already a headache for Intel. If another East emerges, who will Intel sell its products to?

No matter what the East manufactures, it will cause prices to plummet to rock bottom!
half a month later.

East, capital, electronics industry sector.

"Leader Liu, we have discovered that your market is flooded with 8086 computers. These chips are not imported from the United States, but are copied by you. This is a serious infringement! We now demand that you immediately cease this behavior and pay us the corresponding patent fees!"

Liu Gensheng frowned: "Mr. Smith, what evidence do you have to prove that our computers are imitations of your 8086 chips?"

On Liu Gensheng's desk was a computer with the monitor placed directly on the host. The words "Northwestern Polytechnical University" were clearly written on the host's casing.

"This is a computer produced by our Dongfang Northwestern Polytechnical University. It has nothing to do with your 8086. Every single component inside is manufactured by us."

"That's right, this computer was manufactured by you, but the processor used in it is a copy of the 8086."

"How could that be? This processor was manufactured by our factory, 4433. It has nothing to do with the 8086. If you don't believe me, let's take it apart and see if the markings on the chip really are 8086."

"This isn't a problem with the logo; it's a problem with the internal structure. The internal structure of this computer processor is exactly the same as our 8086! We have detailed technical specifications here."

After Smith finished speaking, he looked at Barkley, the Intel representative following behind him. Barkley immediately took out a document from his briefcase, which detailed the internal structure of the processor in the computer produced in the East, as well as the internal structure of their Intel 8086 computer. Even the Intel logo was still on it. The company that copied it was really meticulous, completely imitating it without daring to touch anything.

Liu Gensheng picked it up and glanced at it a few times: "Well, put these here. We will investigate them carefully. Do you have anything else to ask?"

Barkley nodded in satisfaction, thinking the matter was about to be resolved, but diplomat Smith knew full well that the other party was just playing a common bureaucratic trick in the East.

"Leader Liu, we demand a satisfactory response from you within a week! We demand that Dongfang immediately cease this infringement of our intellectual property rights. From now on, you will need to purchase the 8086 processors you require from Intel. Furthermore, for every computer produced previously, you must pay Intel a patent fee of one hundred US dollars, otherwise..."

Liu Gensheng's expression also turned serious. "Are you kidding me? We copied it with our own skills, and you want us to give up production and buy from you? Besides, we even paid you for the ones we produced before? One hundred dollars a unit, you're practically robbing us!"
“Mr. Smith, aren’t your demands a bit excessive? We’ve only just established diplomatic relations, and you’re already pulling this stunt. This is going to cast a shadow over our relationship!” Liu Gensheng said. “I hope you will reconsider.”

“Mr. Liu, your country has opened its doors and has already made contact with us. You should know that in the West, we place the utmost importance on intellectual property rights!” Smith said. “If you want to align with the West, you must start by valuing it in your mindset. If you don’t respect intellectual property rights, then technology will not progress!”

He knew the Easterners were trying to cheat!

"If you persist in your course of action a week from now, we will impose sanctions on Northwestern Polytechnical University. We hope you understand that we are not deliberately making things difficult for you; we are simply trying to protect our legitimate rights and interests!"

Liu Gensheng was taken aback: "Sanctions? Hmph, if you dare to do that, it will become a stumbling block between us, and our relationship... may cool down rapidly because of your actions. I hope you understand what you are doing!"

"Of course we know that we value our relationship with the East, but we also value basic international norms even more. If you are going to protect even on such a clear-cut issue, then the cooling of our relationship is entirely your fault..."

Watching the departing figure, Liu Gensheng's face darkened. "Hmph, those Americans, they're all the same! They actually dared to openly rob us!"
I quickly made a call to Qin Liang to discuss this. Fortunately, Qin Liang has been staying in the capital recently, busy with matters at Huaxi Microelectronics Equipment Company, so it will be more convenient to call him over.

Half an hour later.

Liu Gensheng looked at Qin Liang, who remained calm, with curiosity: "Aren't you angry?"

Qin Liang smiled and said, "The Americans are the ones who are angry because we copied their products. So what are we angry about?"

Currently, no one in China values ​​intellectual property rights. When the Americans come to protest, it's like a scholar encountering a soldier. However, patents... well, what will the Americans say when we have many patents in the future? They'll say they'll pass legislation to invalidate our Eastern patents.

When they possess advanced technology, they use patents to make easy money; but when their technology becomes outdated, they start acting like scoundrels.

"Then they said they would impose sanctions..."

"What kind of sanctions are they? They're just restricting cooperation with Northwestern Polytechnical University. Anyway, we've already developed, so we don't care about a few cooperative projects with the Americans. Let's take this opportunity to terminate all these collaborations and see who gets anxious in the end!" We in the East have never been afraid of suppression. Whatever they suppress, we'll break through! Qin Liang just didn't expect that in the 1980s, when relations between the two sides were at their best, the Americans would still want to play this trick!
Let them know who's begging whom!
Boeing, United States.

"What?" Steiner's face turned grim. "Northwestern Polytechnical University is going to completely freeze its cooperation with us? Why?"

The Super Cruiser project is progressing smoothly. It has now completed all wind tunnel tests and entered the detailed development phase. This aircraft is technologically advanced, extensively using composite material skins, fly-by-wire flight control, and more. Boeing considers it a revolutionary aircraft.

With the rise of Airbus, Boeing needed a high-profile project to showcase its strength, but now, the project has been frozen.

"Because... Intel was unhappy that the East was copying their 8086 processor, and persuaded some anti-China members of Congress to push for the enactment of some policies. They went to the East to put pressure on them, which angered Northwestern Polytechnical University..."

"Damn it, those idiots at Intel, they only care about their own interests. Don't they think about the interests of other companies? Book me a plane ticket right now, I'm going to Washington!"

Grumman Corporation.

"We've received news from the East that they want to terminate their cooperation with us on the Invisible Cat project."

Yono-Brien's expression changed instantly: "Pellehak, what's going on? Wasn't our cooperation with the East going very smoothly?"

"It's all that damn Intel's fault. They were unhappy that Northwestern Polytechnical University's computers used a copy of their 8086 processor, so they pressured Congress..."

"Hmph, so what if they copy a few of their processors! The East copied our Tomcat, and we didn't say anything! The 8086 is already outdated. What they're doing is going too far!"

"Yes, Lockheed's stealth fighter project is progressing smoothly. After all, their cooperation with the East started earlier. We originally hoped to catch up with them on the Stealth Cat project, but unexpectedly..."

"Hmph, we absolutely cannot let those damn idiots at Intel ruin our plans. I'm off to Washington right now!"

General Electric Company.

"What? The East is going to stop supplying us with fan blades? Why?" Ted Inglin was somewhat surprised. These composite material fan blades made their engines more fuel-efficient, lighter, and more powerful. They also planned to use these fan blades in their new engine design.

If the East stops providing it, then they...

"Intel Corporation..."

"Those lunatics! It's clearly their own products that aren't competitive, yet they want to blame others. What chips? They're just some sand-made stuff, yet they sell them for such a high price!"

"Yes, winning over the East is our basic strategy right now, but unexpectedly, it's been ruined by a small group of people. I heard that the East is even considering replacing their JF-17 Thunder fighter jets with RB199 engines..."

"No, we absolutely cannot let them do this! Let's go to Washington!"

Although the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet displeased General Dynamics, GE made a lot of money from it, as it used the F404 engine!

They absolutely cannot let this deal go to waste!
Lockheed Corporation.

"What are those people in the White House thinking? Why are they causing trouble for Northwestern Polytechnical University? Without Northwestern Polytechnical University, we still wouldn't have a clue about our stealth heavy fighter!" Ben Richie said angrily. "Do they even want the most advanced fighter jets anymore?"

"It was probably the people of David who pushed for it..."

“Those damn squid!” Ben Ritchie gritted his teeth. “I have to go to Washington and tell them how important Northwestern Polytechnical University is to us!”

Intel Corporation.

“The Easterners definitely won’t pay us patent fees. When the sanctions are in place, Northwestern Polytechnical University’s computers will at least be unable to be sold abroad anymore, which will alleviate some of our pressure.” Andy Grove smiled. “And we also need to control all suppliers and prevent the 286 processor from reaching the Easterners, so that we can lock down the Easterners’ technological progress!”

Boom!
Just then, the door was suddenly opened.

"Mr. Grove, Mr. Moore, something terrible has happened!"

"what happened?"

"Representatives from many domestic companies have rushed to Washington to put pressure on Congress..."

"Pressure? What kind of pressure? What does it have to do with us?"

"They demanded that the sanctions against Northwestern Polytechnical University be lifted!"

"How could that be! At most, MIT will step in. What about the other companies?"

"MIT hasn't made a move, but other companies have..."

Boeing, Lockheed, General Electric, Grumman... one after another, these arms giants actually came out of their way, and to plead for Northwestern Polytechnical University. This... this was something Grove simply couldn't believe!
The next moment, the phone rang.

"Hey, what? How could this happen? Hey, you can't do this!"

Andy Grove reluctantly put down the phone, his expression incredibly complicated.

"Grove, what's going on?" Gordon Moore seemed to have a premonition as well, and asked anxiously.

"The White House says that putting pressure on Northwestern Polytechnical University is just a farce. Now, it's time to end this farce. Damn it, don't those people know how much of a threat the Eastern chip industry would pose to us if it developed?"

Andy Grove was furious: "They only want us to focus on competition with the island nation? Humph, what is the island nation? The White House can crush its electronics industry with just a flick of their finger! The East is the real threat!"

Perhaps... we're overthinking it?

Andy Grove's gaze suddenly turned cold: "Moore, how can you be so short-sighted! Open your eyes and look around. How many excellent engineers in Silicon Valley come from the East! Easterners are quite intelligent, no less so than us white people! They can stay in the US now and serve America, but once the Eastern chip industry develops, if they want to run back to the East, then we..."

Although he was angry, he didn't say that we would decline, because that would dampen the confidence of our own people and boost the morale of the enemy!
Andy Grove walked to the window and looked outside. The sun was setting, casting golden sunlight onto the earth. Could this be... Intel's sunset?
No, no, of course not!
Andy Grove would never admit that Intel is currently at its peak, would he?
Thump, thump, thump... There were hurried footsteps outside.

"Mr. Grove, Mr. Moore, we just received news from the East that they are going to hold a press conference to officially announce their self-developed Loongson-1 processor!"

what?
Everyone was stunned.

(End of this chapter)