Amid global chip shortages, China’s largest chipmaker—facing a U.S. blacklist—struggles to acquire advanced chipmaking equipment and technology, and to meet the high global demand, it is rapidly expanding existing production lines but cutting its R&D investment and personnel. On Sept. 3, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) announced that Zhou Zixue, the company’s chairman, resigned citing personal health reasons. On the same day, SMIC also announced its plans to build a factory in Shanghai to expand its production capacity. According to the announcement, Zhou Zixue will continue to serve as the company’s executive director. Meanwhile, SMIC chief financial officer Gao Yonggang has taken on the additional role of acting chairman. SMIC emphasized that Zhou has no disagreement with the company or its board and that its company shareholders should not be concerned, according to its filing. Zhou became the chairman and executive director of SMIC in March 2015. In October 2017, Zhou …