Samsung's $7 billion chip manufacturing project in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, is proceeding smoothly with the installation and commissioning of manufacturer equipment starting in December, China Daily learned recently.

The first key equipment for the high-end memory chip project came to city from Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Nov 25, and the equipment will be installed and commissioned in December.

The lithography machine is the most important manufacturing device in the semiconductor production, which is used to make dense loops on circuit boards.

Samsung's Xi'an project officials said the lithography machine is currently among the world's most advanced equipment and the first such advanced machine to be installed and used in China.

According to the schedule, Samsung began to build an automatic production system in December, and the production line will be put into operation after the manufacturing equipment is installed and commissioned.

Samsung's Xi'an project was started on Sept 12, 2012, in the Xi'an high-tech development zone, and expected to begin operation by the end of 2013.