China's attempts to promote itself as a technology innovator received a huge setback last week when it was confirmed that a so-called newly designed digital signal processor (DSP) from one the country's leading universities was faked technology put together from other manufacturers. (Note: iTWire originally reported that the chips were rebadged DSPs from Motorola spin-off Freescale Semiconductor but this is unconfirmed).

Jiaotong University in Shaghai, one of the oldest and most respected universities in China, has dismissed the dean of the Microelectronics School Chen Jin, who was leading a Government-funded research team developing the DSP, first announced with great fanfare in 2003. However, someone blew the whistle and it was claimed the chips were not actually developed and produced by Hanxin.

It is unclear how Mr Chen managed to fool technical appraisal teams from his university and the Chinese Government that the chips were his original work, as reported in Chinese news agency Xinhua.

It has been reported in New York based Chinese focussed news service Epoch Times that Mr Chen simply bought chips from US manufacturer Freescale Semiconductor, had workers use sandpaper to remove the original trademarks and replaced them with Hanxin and Government-sanctioned "made in China" markings. However, this is unconfirmed as fact.

Mr Chen's laboratory had purportedly produced three iterations of the chip and Government-sponsored press conferences were held to promote his work. The fraud was only uncovered after an unnamed whistleblower sent a letter to the university in December prompting an investigation. Jiaotong University has indicated that it will tighten its processes as a result of the scandal saying in a press statement: "In the future, the school will strengthen its management of research and its oversight of research funds."{moscomment}