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Wednesday 11 February 2026
TSMC Japan expansion mirrors broader Taiwan tech retreat from China
C. C. Wei, chairman and chief executive of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, announced that the company's 3-nanometer manufacturing technology will be deployed in Japan, marking another major overseas expansion following its investment in advanced fabrication in the US. By contrast, TSMC's plant in Nanjing will remain focused on advanced mature and specialty processes, primarily at the 12- and 16-nanometer nodes
LATEST STORIES
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Rapidus aims for 2nm ramp in FY2027 with fourfold capacity boost
Rapidus is expected to begin full-scale production in fiscal 2028. Mass production of 2nm-class chips is scheduled to commence in the second half of fiscal 2027, according to Kyoto News. The company's business plan, submitted to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, outlines a strategy to enter volume production in late fiscal 2027. The plan calls for expanding output approximately fourfold within the first year of operation
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Silan raises device prices about 10% from March, signaling wider cost pass-through
On February 9, 2026, Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics said that it will raise prices on certain device product categories by about 10% on average starting March 1, 2026, citing severe global metal price volatility and sustained increases in the cost of precious metals used in wafer processing
Wednesday 11 February 2026
TCL narrows gap with Samsung as Chinese TV brands gain ground
Chinese television manufacturers are intensifying pressure on South Korean brands that have long dominated the global market, as shipment growth at companies such as TCL and Hisense contrasts with stagnation at Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. What began as a volume-driven push is increasingly paired with premium strategies, setting the stage for fiercer competition across the global television industry
Wednesday 11 February 2026
SMIC breaks 2025 revenue record, margins fall to 19.2%
On February 10, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) reported record 2025 revenues, but quarterly gross margins fell to 19.2%. The decline, driven by heavy depreciation costs and shifting smartphone supply chain dynamics, underscores the financial pressure of aggressive capacity expansion despite sustained high utilization across manufacturing facilities
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Alibaba builds Google-class AI stack with 'golden triangle' chip, cloud and model integration
Alibaba has completed the final piece of its AI strategy. T-Head Semiconductor has launched the Zhenwu 810E AI chip, developed in-house by Alibaba across hardware and software. The company's AI structure is now fully visible, built around Tongyi Lab, Alibaba Cloud, and T-Head Semiconductor operating as an integrated trio
Wednesday 11 February 2026
LGD to sell Nanjing automotive LCD module business

LG Display (LGD) agreed on February 9 to sell its automotive LCD module business in Nanjing, China, to Toprun Total Solution, according to a regulatory filing reported by ZDNet Korea. The transaction is valued at approximately KRW104.1 billion (approx. US$71 million) and is scheduled to close on July 30

Tuesday 10 February 2026
Renesas turns to China and India for recovery after first net loss in six years
Renesas Electronics recorded its first net loss in six years in fiscal 2025, reflecting weak demand for automotive semiconductors and a limited contribution from AI-related products. The company is recalibrating its strategy, with India and China positioned as key pillars in its recovery roadmap
Tuesday 10 February 2026
SK Hynix set to ship HBM4 for Nvidia's Vera Rubin this month

SK Hynix is expected to begin shipments this month of its sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM4, a high-performance, low-power semiconductor designed for Nvidia's next-generation artificial intelligence accelerator, Vera Rubin

Tuesday 10 February 2026
Analysis: Japan's supermajority reshapes Asia's semiconductor competition
Japan's latest election is being read by global markets as a turning point in industrial policy, capital flows, and technology sovereignty across Asia — not a routine political cycle. Following the February 2026 lower house election, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party secured 316 seats, crossing the two-thirds threshold and delivering one of the strongest mandates in postwar Japan. The broader ruling bloc with the Japan Innovation Party reached about 352 seats, giving the coalition effective legislative control in the 464-seat chamber
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Nexchip Phase IV expansion supports SmartSens, Xiaomi in building domestic CIS supply chain
China's foundry sector is accelerating expansion across mature and specialty nodes. Nexchip Semiconductor, the country's third-largest foundry, plans to invest CNY2 billion (approx. US$288 million) in Hefei Jingyi Integrated via equity transfer and capital injection to secure full ownership. Upon completion, Hefei Jingyi Integrated will become a wholly owned Nexchip subsidiary
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Exclusive: only cash strength can save China's TOPCon solar sector from endgame
With China's solar products set to lose a 9% export tax rebate in April 2026, compounded by raw material inflation, a wave of pre-rebate-cancellation stockpiling should theoretically emerge. Instead, this buying momentum has mainly come from overseas players. Meanwhile, many other foreign customers, faced with being passed on higher raw material costs, have ultimately chosen to stay on the sidelines. Survival in the industry is increasingly dependent on cash reserves rather than technological superiority
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Synopsys China faces leadership shakeup as chairman and president Qun Ge set to depart
On February 9, Synopsys' China office circulated an internal memo announcing that Qun Ge, global senior vice president and chairman and president of Synopsys China, will leave the company, a move that has prompted significant discussion within China's technology industry
Tuesday 10 February 2026
China reportedly enters HBM3 mass production as South Korea pushes into HBM4

China is preparing to initiate large-scale production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), narrowing a technology gap with South Korea in a critical component for AI semiconductors. As Chinese manufacturers ramp up current-generation output, South Korean memory makers are moving to extend their market lead with next-generation products

Tuesday 10 February 2026
Behind Nvidia’s fried-chicken diplomacy
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly hosted a "fried chicken and beer" meeting in Silicon Valley on February 5, 2026, with SK Group chairman Tony Choi, according to industry sources cited by Yonhap News Agency and The Hankyung. The informal dinner in Santa Clara took place at the restaurant "99 Chicken" and followed a similar high-profile gathering Huang held in Seoul in October 2025 with Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Commentary: From retreat to return, SMIC's long road back to advanced packaging
China-based foundry SMIC will release fourth-quarter 2025 results on February 10 and hold its first 2026 investor briefing on February 11. Market focus is expected to center on its advanced packaging push, which is shifting from a supporting function toward a core manufacturing strategy