The great ideal of 'China Core' in the next five years, Spreadtrum will be realized together with Zhang Jiang

They are the original pioneers of Zhangjiang. They are distinguished academicians from the two academies, and they lead key disciplines that shape the nation's technological power. They are the visionaries behind the industry's most influential breakthroughs. These individuals have found their place in Zhangjiang and realized their dreams here.

Zhangjiang has transformed from farmland into a city of ambition, with achievements evolving over time, yet its dream remains strong. On the 25th anniversary of Zhangjiang Jianyuan, we share 25 inspiring stories of Zhangjiang people chasing their dreams, honoring every individual who continues to strive for their goals.

In the next five years, Spreadtrum will grow alongside Zhangjiang.

The great vision of 'China Core.'

— Dr. Li Liyou

On May 12, 2008, Dr. Li Liyou officially became the president and CEO of Spreadtrum. Just hours later, at 14:28, a massive 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan, Sichuan Province. Though thousands of miles away, he felt a tremor in his new office, marking the beginning of one of the toughest challenges in his career.

At the time of his appointment, Spreadtrum was facing its most severe crisis. In 2007, it had made history by listing on NASDAQ as China’s first 3G company. But just a year later, the company hit rock bottom. By 2008, its stock price had plummeted to 73 cents, nearly pushing it toward delisting. By early 2009, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, with only enough liquidity to survive for two more quarters. Its only remaining customer made future growth impossible.

Many doubted whether Li Liyou, newly appointed, could turn things around. Yet the results stunned everyone. Since he took the helm, Spreadtrum’s annual revenue increased tenfold, and its market value soared 51 times. By 2016, Spreadtrum accounted for 27% of global mobile chip shipments, becoming one of the world’s largest suppliers.

Despite these achievements, Li Liyou remained humble. In his small office less than 20 square meters in the Zhangjiang Exhibition Building, when asked what it took to reverse the situation, he simply said, “luck.” He smiled, “At the time, Spreadtrum’s revenue was almost zero. I don’t think I could make it negative!”

But behind the success was more than luck. It was his pragmatic approach and deep understanding of industry trends that helped the company recover.

Li Liyou chose Zhangjiang—a place still developing and full of potential—as his next career stop. His decision was based on a clear understanding of the future of China’s chip industry and the rapid development of Zhangjiang.

As early as in the U.S., he believed that in the era of globalization, industrial transfer from the West and industrial upgrading in the East would define this period. As a result, the semiconductor industry’s center of gravity would shift from the West to the East, and China would become the most important player.

Additionally, when Spreadtrum was founded in 2001, the Shanghai Municipal Government and Zhangjiang Management Committee provided strong support, even securing 10 million yuan for R&D. This demonstrated their commitment to building “China Core.” The past five years have shown that Li Liyou’s choice was correct.

In Li Liyou’s view, Zhangjiang’s semiconductor industry has grown beyond 100 billion yuan in scale and formed a complete industrial chain—from R&D to production, sales, and application. Zhangjiang is now more like a “Silicon Valley” than Silicon Valley itself.

Taking Spreadtrum’s products as an example, in the 2G era, its technology lagged behind Europe and the U.S. by about 15 years. By the 3G era, the gap was under 10 years, and by 4G, it was less than three years. Now, in the 5G era, Spreadtrum’s products are synchronized with the best in the world.

“Spreadtrum has shifted from a local market (like TDS in China) to a global chip supplier. We’ve made significant progress in talent internationalization, global distribution, and product diversification. With 16nm and 14nm chips already launched and 7nm under development, we believe that in the next five years, Spreadtrum will not only be the world’s top chip supplier but also establish a strong presence in the mid-to-high-end market. We will work together with Zhangjiang to realize the great dream of ‘China Core.’”

— Dr. Li Liyou

Dr. Li Liyou currently serves as Global Executive Vice President of Ziguang Group; Chairman and CEO of Spreadtrum Communications Co., Ltd.; Chairman of RDA Microelectronics (RDA); and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA). He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Science and Technology of China, an M.Sc. in Electronics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, USA, and an MBA from the University of California, San Diego. With over 30 years of experience in wireless communications, he has held leadership roles at companies such as Magicomm Technology Inc., Broadcom, Moblink Telecom, and others. He joined Spreadtrum in May 2008 and holds 12 patents in wireless communication systems, RF integrated circuits, circuit design, and RFID applications.