DIGITIMES Asia news

Friday 20 March 2026

India mandates domestic sourcing of solar wafers under expanded approval list policy

India has expanded its domestic content framework for solar manufacturing, extending the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) regime to cover upstream components such as ingots and wafers, in a move aimed at reducing import dependence and strengthening supply chain resilience

Friday 20 March 2026

Apple CEO visits China at 50th anniversary event to strengthen supply chain

Apple CEO Tim Cook has officially kicked off his 2026 Asia tour with a visit to China, attending the company's 50th anniversary celebration at the Chengdu Taikoo Li Apple Store. The event featured concerts and consumer interactions aimed at reinforcing brand loyalty as part of the ongoing efforts to solidify Apple's supply chain in the region

Friday 20 March 2026

China's AI robot industry surges on market freedom and strategic autonomy

Despite lacking the industrial legacy of Japan and Germany, China has rapidly built its AI robotics sector into a formidable force, posing as a subtle challenge to US technological dominance. Tien-Chong Cheng, chairman of Aurotek, attributes this swift growth to two key drivers: maintaining high market competition and freedom, and allowing the industry itself to shape development strategies

Thursday 19 March 2026

Samsung Electro-Mechanics rumored to supply MLCCs to top private aerospace firm

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) is reportedly supplying multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to the world's largest private aerospace company. According to industry sources, this expansion from the automotive and industrial sectors into aerospace is a significant step for the company, as it demonstrates that its components have gained global recognition for durability and reliability

Thursday 19 March 2026

Fitipower opens Malaysia R&D center to boost global innovation and support

Fitpower officially inaugurated its new office in Puchong Financial Corporate Center (PFCC), Selangor, Malaysia, this week, marking the launch of its Malaysian subsidiary. The move expands Fitipower's global R&D footprint and deepens collaboration within Southeast Asia's semiconductor supply chain

Thursday 19 March 2026

China curbs, Middle East tensions drive surge in chip material risks from gallium to helium

Global semiconductor supply chains are facing rising pressure as Middle East geopolitical tensions and China's tightening export controls on strategic minerals converge, pushing up prices for key materials and raising uncertainty over critical industrial gas supplies, according to Chosun Biz and Reuters

Thursday 19 March 2026

SK Hynix posts record pay, R&D, and capex in 2025

Driven by the AI dividend and a robust semiconductor market, SK Hynix's average employee annual salary reached KRW185 million (approx. US$124,494) in 2025, up 58.1% year-over-year to set a new high. At the same time, the company also broke records for R&D investment and capital expenditure (capex)

Thursday 19 March 2026

China's photoresist push moves from lab wins to mass supply

China's semiconductor materials localisation is shifting into commercial scale, with domestic photoresist suppliers moving from pilot validation to mass supply, marking a turning point in one of the chip industry's most tightly controlled segments

Thursday 19 March 2026

Nexperia's China split sends orders to Taiwan

Nexperia's China unit has begun producing power semiconductors on 12-inch wafers. The move marks a decisive break from its Dutch headquarters and is sending ripple effects across global supply chains

Thursday 19 March 2026

US reveals Tesla battery deal with LG, lifting veil on supply chain

US government disclosures have shed unusual light on a closely guarded corner of the electric vehicle supply chain, confirming that LG Energy Solution signed a battery supply agreement worth KRW6 trillion (approx. US$4 billion) with Tesla in July 2025

Thursday 19 March 2026

Tencent to double AI spending on 13% revenue growth as chip curbs reshape capex

Tencent is preparing a sharp escalation in artificial intelligence investment, with plans to more than double spending to over CNY36 billion (US$5.2 billion) in 2026, even as chip export restrictions have disrupted its earlier capital expenditure strategy

Thursday 19 March 2026

AMD, Samsung deepen AI chip ties with HBM4 supply and foundry talks

AMD CEO Lisa Su met Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong on March 18, the same day the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand semiconductor cooperation, signalling a broader push into AI chips, memory, and foundry services

Thursday 19 March 2026

Column: OpenClaw pulls AI from cloud to the edge

OpenClaw's rapid rise has pushed "lobster-raising" from a niche developer trend into a cross-industry race spanning chips, hardware, and end devices

Thursday 19 March 2026

Column: OpenClaw ignites China's AI agent land grab

OpenClaw's "lobster-raising" wave is moving from developers into China's internet and software sectors at speed in early 2026. Unlike earlier large-model races centred on parameters and compute, this AI agent cycle is defined by a single question: who controls the user entry point

Thursday 19 March 2026

Intel to expand EMIB capabilities in Malaysia amid Section 232 probe uncertainty

Intel's advanced packaging complex in Malaysia is expected to begin operations later this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, as the company advances its assembly and testing capabilities and the government emphasises upskilling local talent

3/38 pages

BIZ FOCUS

Feb 9, 08:00

iCatch and DXOMARK Establish Taiwan's First Next Generation Imaging Laboratory

MOST-READ
7 DAYS NEWS

Full list

RESEARCH INSIGHTS

Weekly research roundup: Qualcomm's AI strategy, memory giants and updated 2026 smartphone outlook