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Thursday 8 January 2026
India's OSATs are comfortable with materials today, but that may not last
India's backend semiconductor manufacturers are benefiting from a narrow window of materials comfort that is closely tied to the use of legacy packaging technologies
LATEST STORIES
Thursday 8 January 2026
China's 'Neuralink rival' raises US$286 million in BCI funding
China's brain–computer interface (BCI) unicorn BrainCo has completed a funding round of about CNY2 billion (US$286 million), making it the world's second-largest single BCI financing, behind only Neuralink's US$650 million raise in mid-2025
Thursday 8 January 2026
KLA opens R&D and Innovation Hub in Chennai to boost India semiconductor ecosystem
US-based semiconductor process control and process-enabling technology leader KLA Corporation has inaugurated a new INR3 billion (approx. US$36 million) R&D and Innovation Hub in Chennai, marking a major expansion of its operations in India. The 311,000-square-foot facility is designed to accommodate up to 1,300 employees and will strengthen KLA's software engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), and process control capabilities
Thursday 8 January 2026
China launches fresh anti-dumping probe against Japanese dichlorosilane, following dual-use export curbs

China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into Japanese dichlorosilane imports, marking another trade action against Japan following recent curbs on dual-use product exports, as Tokyo's prime minister reiterated that the controls are necessary for national security and comply with international trade rules

Thursday 8 January 2026
Johor seeks broader collaboration with ByteDance beyond data centers
The Johor state government in Malaysia is urging ByteDance to expand its role beyond data centers. The state aims to position itself as a strategic partner for the company's long-term digital plans. Onn Hafiz Ghazi, Johor's chief minister, recently led a delegation to China to meet with senior ByteDance executives, according to Bernama and Nanyang Siang Pau
Thursday 8 January 2026
Huawei's Ascend 950 tests South Korea's AI market
Huawei has signalled a renewed push into South Korea's AI infrastructure market, outlining plans to introduce its next-generation AI processor — widely expected to be the Ascend 950 — packaged with an end-to-end stack spanning hardware, software, networking, and storage
Thursday 8 January 2026
GAC-Huawei Terminal formalize deeper HarmonyOS and AI alliance
China's automotive and ICT sectors marked a new inflection point on January 5, 2026, as GAC Group and Huawei Terminal (Huawei Device Co.) signed a comprehensive cooperation framework agreement at GAC's Panyu headquarters in Guangzhou
Thursday 8 January 2026
RISC-V's rise: A third CPU ecosystem in 5-10 years?
Bao Yungang, vice director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Computing Technology and chief scientist at the Beijing Open Source Chip Academy, predicts RISC-V will become the world's third mainstream CPU ecosystem alongside x86 and Arm within five to ten years
Wednesday 7 January 2026
Huawei spin-off xFusion launches IPO process, targets US$7bn revenue

China's leading server maker, xFusion Digital Technologies, has taken its first formal step toward an IPO. The company began regulatory tutoring on January 6, 2026, according to the China Securities Regulatory Commission, with Citic Securities acting as sponsor

Wednesday 7 January 2026
CES 2026: Nvidia's Alpamayo launch spotlights China's self-driving ambition
At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Nvidia formally introduced its next-generation autonomous driving AI platform, Alpamayo, a move that industry observers say marks the transition of self-driving technology from perception-driven systems to reasoning-oriented intelligence. The launch not only signals a new era for autonomous vehicles but also sets the stage for renewed competition between global automakers and Chinese manufacturers in the rapidly evolving smart-driving sector
Wednesday 7 January 2026
Indonesia cuts nickel mining quota to support prices, imports needed in 2026
The Indonesian Nickel Mining and Smelting Association (FINI) expects the country's smelters to require 340 million to 350 million tons of ore in 2026, an increase of about 40 million to 50 million tons. According to Reuters, Indonesia holds the world's largest nickel reserves but recently announced plans to reduce its 2026 production quota to bolster prices and increase government revenue
Wednesday 7 January 2026
Naver doubles Google's search market share in South Korea in 2025
South Korea's leading internet company, Naver, secured a dominant position in the search engine market in 2025, capturing 62.86% of the South Korean market share, more than twice Google's share. According to data from research firm Internet Trend, cited by Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap News, Naver's share rose by 4.72pp from 58.14% in 2024
Wednesday 7 January 2026
China's auto market in 2025: million-unit clubs and a reshaped race
As China's auto market wrapped up 2025, disclosures from leading carmakers confirmed another milestone year. Vehicle exports are expected to surpass 7 million units, ranking first globally, while NEV exports exceeded 2 million units in the first ten months, up nearly 90% year-over-year
Wednesday 7 January 2026
Beijing's dual-use controls test Japan's economic security strategy
China has moved to tighten export controls on dual-use products to Japan. This step could have wide-ranging implications for supply chains spanning advanced materials, electronics, and defense-related manufacturing, while further straining already fragile bilateral relations
Wednesday 7 January 2026
H200 shipments to China set to start with low-profile approach, says CEO Jensen Huang
Nvidia has expressed optimism about resuming sales of its H200 AI chips to China, while stressing that any return to the market will proceed quietly, without public announcements or regulatory fanfare
Wednesday 7 January 2026
Tesla rolls out five-year zero-interest push in China as BYD widens EV lead
As 2026 opens, the global electric vehicle (EV) market is entering a pivotal phase. Tesla China has rolled out a five-year, zero-interest financing program covering its core models — Model 3, Model Y, and the six-seat Model Y L — paired with a CNY8,000 (approx. US$1145.52) paint-option incentive