Investment risk in cross border tech

An editorial look at Lip-Bu Tan and Walden International and three decades of China investments.

What to Know About Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and His Business Dealings in China

Lip-Bu Tan built Walden International, a San Francisco based venture firm, and directed more than 5 billion dollars into over 600 companies. More than 100 of those investments targeted China, including a decade and a half on the board of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., now the country’s largest chipmaker.

The scale of these bets shows how long term capital shaped cross border tech ties, but the moves also invite questions about political risk and regulatory shifts in both countries.

Tan’s career shows how venture capital can span nations, linking startups with established players and supply chains. His China investments, including a long board tenure at SMIC, reflect how policy, local partnerships, and capital flows shaped the Chinese chip sector and its global links.

Yet this history raises questions about risk and accountability. Policy shifts in Beijing and Washington could alter returns and affect the people who rely on these deals. The piece invites readers to weigh the value of long term cross border collaboration against potential costs to public money, national security, and investor confidence.

Highlights

The future will test whether long term bets can weather political winds.