
Over the past three years, rumors emerged that Intel would delay or even scrap plans for the plant, but the chipmaker consistently denied that anything was amiss. The opening is a nod to the growing importance of China, which has struggled to build a globally competitive semiconductor industry.
Intel said it has already started doing business with as many as 80 suppliers in Dalian but didn't identify them. The opening of Intel's new plant fulfills Intel's total investment commitment in China to $4.7 billion.