Recent concerns have emerged about semiconductor technology transfer following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, particularly given his previous statements about Taiwan's semiconductor dominance. Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA), J.W. Kuo, has clarified that the US development of 2nm semiconductor technology depends on meeting specific market and resource requirements while emphasizing that Taiwan's 2nm facilities in Kaohsiung are on track for production.

The Japanese government is preparing to provide over JPY10 trillion (approx. US$65 billion) in support for the semiconductor and AI industries by the fiscal year 2030 (April 2030 to March 2031). This plan includes an allocation of JPY6 trillion for subsidies aimed at R&D and production investments, while the remaining JPY4 trillion is expected to be financed through government-backed loans and other financial support.

"Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do." —Steve Jobs

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." —Warren Buffett.

Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology Inc. (ESMT) expected a rebound in the memory market in the second half of 2024, driving an increase in wafer production. However, demand recovery underperformed expectations, resulting in elevated inventory levels. The company is now prioritizing efforts to address these backlogs.

A consensus has emerged among IC design companies during recent earnings calls, with all players expressing positive evaluations for their 2025 outlook. Growth momentum is widely projected to surpass 2024 levels.

President-elect Donald Trump has announced his plan to name Howard Lutnick, a prominent China critic, as Secretary of Commerce. Lutnick will oversee the management of US tariffs and trade policies.

Japanese photoresist leader JSR is building a production base in South Korea to manufacture metal-oxide resists (MOR), a critical material for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Slated to begin mass production in 2026, this initiative aims to bolster the stability of South Korea's semiconductor supply chain.

MediaTek is intensifying its efforts to challenge Qualcomm's dominance in India's premium 5G market. As the company gains traction with Chinese smartphone manufacturers for their high-end models, it is strategically positioning itself to expand its footprint in this competitive space.

With the acceleration of Blackwell mass manufacturing, the capacity of HBM3E will greatly grow. According to industry estimates, after a twofold rise in HBM production in 2024, demand from AI servers will drive exponential growth in HBM output in 2025.

Peripheral chip vendors have received a boost from Nvidia's announcement that it is accelerating shipments for its next-generation Blackwell platform, alleviating earlier concerns about heat dissipation issues that might have delayed volume production.