On Oct. 21, Reuters reported that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix had confirmed upgrades were underway at their existing NAND plants in China. Reuters attributed the detailed production goals for Samsung’s Xi’an site and SK Hynix’s Dalian site to people familiar with the plans.
NAND is nonvolatile memory, which retains data without power. It is used in smartphones, PCs and solid-state drives for AI data centers.
Samsung’s reported targets for Xi’an
Sources cited by Reuters said Xi’an was producing chips with about 200 layers and accounted for about 40% of Samsung’s global NAND output. The reported project, internally called “Monami,” aims to make 286-layer V9 NAND.
Reuters also reported monthly wafer-output targets of 5,000 in December 2026 and 40,000 by December 2027. The later target is eight times the earlier one: 40,000 ÷ 5,000 = 8. Both figures are future targets, not production results.
Samsung said the upgrade was intended to meet demand from global customers, including in the United States, and would not expand production capacity or add a manufacturing facility. The reported figures describe monthly wafer output; Samsung’s statement addresses production capacity.
The separate goal for SK Hynix’s Dalian plant
Reuters reported that Dalian was producing 192-layer NAND and that SK Hynix aimed to make products with 240 layers or more. The reported layer counts and goals for the two plants are:
| Company and plant | NAND layers described at the time | Reported upgrade goal |
| Samsung, Xi’an | About 200 | 286-layer V9 NAND |
| SK Hynix, Dalian | 192 | 240 layers or more |
More layers can increase storage density and lower costs, but layer count alone does not describe overall chip performance. The Xi’an wafer targets measure monthly output, a different dimension from the number of layers in the NAND products.
Competition and U.S. equipment rules
Reuters cited Omdia figures putting Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) at 38.5% of China’s NAND market in the second quarter. Reuters framed the upgrades against competition from YMTC and demand for memory used in AI infrastructure.
U.S. rules require annual licenses for certain U.S.-made manufacturing equipment installed in China. In 2025, the Bureau of Industry and Security said it did not intend to grant licenses for technology upgrades or capacity expansion at existing China plants. When asked about current approvals, the agency referred Reuters to that policy. Samsung said its Xi’an upgrade complied with U.S. rules, while Reuters could not determine how far approvals covered equipment needed for the planned upgrades. SK Hynix said it was installing equipment at Dalian in consultation with the U.S. government.
