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Friday 18 July 2025
Trump's Nvidia and EDA reversal sparks policy hope for TSMC, ASML, and Apple
In a stunning about-face that has left the tech industry reeling, US President Donald Trump has abruptly lifted export restrictions on H20 AI chips to China—effectively erasing months of stringent semiconductor sanctions overnight
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Thursday 17 July 2025
H20 reenters China: lifeline for AI startups, blow to GPU sovereignty
Amid rising doubts over China's AI trajectory, two setbacks have rattled its startup ecosystem: Manus, the buzzed-about AI agent startup, is reportedly exiting the Chinese market, while DeepSeek R2 — a trillion-parameter large language model — is facing a critical GPU shortfall. Just as sentiment soured, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made a high-profile appearance at the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, where he announced the lifting of export restrictions on the China-specific H20 chip
Thursday 17 July 2025
Malaysia’s states compete to lead national push in IC design
Malaysia is ramping up efforts to grow its domestic integrated circuit (IC) design industry, as key states such as Selangor, Sarawak, and Penang launch competing initiatives to position themselves as the country's next semiconductor innovation hub
Wednesday 16 July 2025
Why Nvidia, Samsung, Qualcomm are all knocking on Xiaomi's door
The parade of power players to Lei Jun's door tells a story. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang have all made the pilgrimage to meet with Xiaomi's founder and CEO during their China visits. This isn't a coincidence — it's recognition of where the real gravity now lies in China's innovation landscape
Tuesday 15 July 2025
Nvidia regains China access as Trump reverses H20 ban, but at what cost?
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is engaging in a high-stakes diplomatic and commercial push across Washington and Beijing, positioning artificial intelligence (AI) as a defining force for global industries and innovation. And for now, his efforts appear to be yielding results
Tuesday 15 July 2025
GlobalFoundries takes MIPS under its wing; Imagination shoots down SMIC takeover talk
With TSMC commanding the lion's share of foundry orders for data center AI accelerators, second-tier players like UMC, GlobalFoundries (GF), and SMIC are urgently repositioning to tap into the AI market. Each is adopting a unique strategy to stay relevant in a rapidly intensifying competitive field
Monday 14 July 2025
Gogoro's zero monthly rental plan aims to retain customers but sparks debate over hidden fees
On July 8, 2025, Gogoro announced its new zero monthly rental plan, stirring considerable discussion. However, every coin has two sides - what exactly is Gogoro offering with this move
Monday 14 July 2025
Taiwan chip firm Macronix seeks tech edge as US-China rivalry intensifies
Memory chipmaker Macronix is betting on advanced technologies to escape a bruising price war as US-China tensions reshape the global semiconductor landscape
Friday 11 July 2025
How Taiwan's EMS evolved: From PCs and smartphones to AI servers and deep semiconductor integration
The advent of the personal computer (PC) provided an opportunity for Taiwan's manufacturing services to further evolve
Friday 11 July 2025
Auto giants squeezed as Trump’s trade brinkmanship stirs EU, Japan standoff
The US has unveiled its latest round of reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on August 1, 2025. Countries that have yet to reach an agreement with President Donald Trump's administration now face the near-certainty of increased tariffs, adding fresh strain to global trade negotiations
Friday 11 July 2025
How Taiwan's EMS evolved (2): Resilience and regionalized supply chains
As of 2024, the global electronic manufacturing services (EMS) industry is valued at approximately US$700 billion, with about half originating from Taiwan. Starting in 1966 with basic black-and-white television assembly, Taiwan has transformed over six decades into a comprehensive EMS powerhouse
Friday 11 July 2025
Taiwan's talent crunch in the age of AI: Macronix's Miin Wu and Deputy Minister Benson Yeh on rewiring education and industry
As Taiwan rides the wave of the AI revolution—with booming exports of GPUs and AI servers—some experts say the country risks losing sight of deeper, long-term challenges
Thursday 10 July 2025
Stay or relocate: Taiwan makers weigh exodus amid weak government support
The free trade agreement (FTA) between the US and South Korea has now become irrelevant under Donald Trump's administration. Taiwan's tech products also face the possibility of losing the ITA and ITA 2 tariffs-free benefits granted under the WTO framework. Trump's tariff threat can be understood as a step to force Seoul to share the cost of stationing US troops in South Korea. But what does Trump want from Taiwan in the tariffs game? TSMC is already constructing wafer fabs and an R&D center in the US. Does Trump want AI server makers to set up assembly lines in the US, and for the Taiwan currency to sharply appreciate against the greenback
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Intel halts in-house glass substrate development as Tan avoids 'R&D trap'
Glass substrates are considered one of the key directions for advanced packaging development, especially showing significant potential in high-performance computing (HPC) and data center sectors. Advances in glass substrate technology have also attracted widespread attention across the semiconductor industry. Despite that, recent reports stated that Intel plans to stop self-developing and producing glass substrates, opting instead to use glass substrates supplied by external vendors
Wednesday 9 July 2025
Commentary: Foxconn’s EV triangle may hinge on Nissan’s Oppama plant
With global EV growth decelerating, Taiwan's Foxconn is pressing ahead with its electric vehicle ambitions. The company is reportedly in advanced talks with Nissan Motor over a potential joint venture at the automaker's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, a development that analysts say could mark a turning point for both firms
Tuesday 8 July 2025
How Taiwan's EMS industry grew from black-and-white TV assembly
The recent documentary on Taiwan's semiconductor development history, A Chip Odyssey, highlights how the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) licensed and transferred semiconductor technology to Taiwan, launching a half-century journey in semiconductors for the island