(Reuters) - A group of Chinese chip companies led by Huawei Technologies and backed by the country's government aims to produce high-bandwidth memory (HBM) semiconductors, a key component in AI chips by 2026, The Information reported on Thursday.

The project, part of China's efforts to provide home-grown alternatives to Nvidia's ( NVDA ) AI chips, started last year and includes Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit, a memory chip maker under U.S. sanctions along with Huawei, according to the report.

The group also relies on other Chinese chip producers and packaging technology developers and it will work to tailor its memory chips to Huawei-designed AI processor chips and supporting motherboard components, the report said.

Huawei and Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

China has in recent years poured investment into its domestic chip industry to reduce its dependence on foreign technology and overcome U.S. export curbs that limit its access to advanced semiconductors including Nvidia's ( NVDA ) AI chips.

While HBM chips are not directly under U.S. restrictions on exports, they are made using American chip technology that Huawei is barred from accessing as part of the curbs.

The Information reported that the Huawei-led consortium had built at least two HBM production lines, using memory chips from different companies, in a form of internal competition. It added that Huawei would likely be the largest buyer of the HBMs.

(Reporting by Aditya Soni in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)