The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) has issued a certificate for the completion of the independent maturity level-A certification to Huawei’s HarmonyOS kernel, as the operating system achieved a 100% self-developed ratio, the national research institution announced on Monday. An independent operating system kernel can ensure national information security and increase international competitiveness, which fosters a robust ecosystem of independent research and development in China, CAICT said in the statement. Huawei’s HarmonyOS kernel – developed in the wake of US sanctions against the Chinese tech giant – marks a new milestone for both the company and the country, CAICT added. HarmonyOS NEXT, which will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024, represents an entire break from the Linux kernel and Android Open Source Project (AOSP) codebase. [CAICT, in Chinese]