A US-ASEAN Business Council delegation, including Apple, Abbott, and Boeing, recently visited Vietnam to strengthen cooperation and explore new business opportunities. During the visit, Apple sought the Vietnamese government's assistance in recruiting top engineering talent and announced plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to enhance local operations and foster innovation among Vietnamese students, reports The Investor
VS Industry, a Malaysia-based EMS provider, reported a quarterly revenue increase alongside a rise in profit before tax from the previous quarter. However, a decline in six-month revenue is concerning, attributed to reduced sales orders and higher operating costs, highlighting potential vulnerabilities amid fluctuating market conditions
Chunghwa Telecom is making significant strides in Southeast Asia's rapidly growing smart city market, showcasing innovative smart pole technology that integrates lighting, surveillance, communication, and data collection functions. The company's vision is clear: to position itself as a key player in the infrastructure of tomorrow's urban landscapes
The Malaysian government recently announced a technology licensing agreement worth US$250 million with silicon intellectual property (IP) powerhouse Arm. The deal aims to assist the development of IC design in Malaysia. While the government is pinning hopes on the agreement, local companies have urged officials to release details as soon as possible. They point out that Malaysia faces significant challenges in the global semiconductor race
Oracle has announced a partnership with Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to deliver independent cloud and AI services, marking its first such collaboration in Southeast Asia. The initiative aims to enhance MINDEF's intelligence analysis and decision-making capabilities amidst increasing cyber threats in the region, according to Reuters and Oracle's press release
Acer ITS is expanding into Taiwan's entertainment machine market, including Pokemon and claw machines, leveraging its expertise in hardware and software integration from public transportation systems. President Kenny Yu highlighted plans to grow internationally, with a memorandum of understanding already signed with Thailand for charging stations
Thailand has approved a more than US$1 billion investment by Sunwoda Electronic to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in the country, marking Sunwoda as the first EV battery manufacturer in Thailand
Aeon Motor's global market growth, production optimization, and new energy product strategy led to significant financial gains. In the fourth quarter of 2024, revenue was NT$483 million (approx. US$14.66 million), contributing to an annual consolidated revenue of NT$2.29 billion, marking a 6.81% year-over-year increase. In 2025, Aeon Motor plans to strengthen its presence in the two-wheeler market and continue its push into the new energy sector
Copper-clad laminate (CCL) manufacturer Ventec has experienced declining revenue over the past three years but has strategically shifted towards niche specialty materials and high-margin products, progressively boosting its gross margin
Asia Vital Components (AVC) chairman Ching-Hang Shen pointed out that while the entire industry previously discussed liquid cooling solutions, he believed it was still early and not yet at a true maturation stage. However, with recent discussions shifting back to air cooling, he now asserts that the era of liquid cooling is about to commence. In response to the rising demand for liquid cooling, AVC plans to substantially increase its production capacity
The Breakthrough Technology Dialogue held in Singapore at the end of February saw participation from technology experts across various countries. However, the discussions were largely influenced by Asian perspectives, with Chinese viewpoints being particularly prominent. Even in private conversations, there was limited opposition to China's stance
Prominent nations worldwide recognize the critical importance of the semiconductor industry and are requesting assistance from foundry leader TSMC. Despite their efforts to improve their domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, countries in the Middle East, South Asia, and ASEAN are compelled to seek assistance from other foundries
Acter, a Taiwanese cleanroom integration engineering company, has ventured into the US market along with its subsidiaries and strategic partners. These include Nova Technology, which specializes in integrating water, gas, and chemical systems for factory services, and Rayzher, which provides plant design and planning services. This overseas expansion comes in the wake of an intensifying tariff war that is sending manufacturers to diversify their production bases
As AI continues to permeate every facet of life, countries around the world are increasingly focused on the idea of "sovereign AI" and the growing notion of "technological sovereignty". China, for instance, has unveiled plans to restrict American investments in critical Chinese technologies and enterprises. Yet, amid these moves, one thing remains clear: the critical importance of cybersecurity cannot be overlooked
