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Saturday 13 December 2025
South Korea races to scale nuclear fusion with compact reactors
Amid a global push for carbon neutrality and soaring electricity demand, nuclear fusion is moving back into the spotlight—not as a distant scientific aspiration, but as a potential near-term solution. With major reactor projects delayed and energy needs growing, countries are reassessing the traditional Tokamak-based R&D path and seeking faster, more agile alternatives
Friday 12 December 2025
Japan's major banks and corporations back Rapidus with massive financing and new investments
Japan is accelerating its national push to rebuild an advanced semiconductor ecosystem as Rapidus, the country's flagship next-generation chip venture, secures financing from major banks and private equity from more than twenty Japanese companies. According to reports from Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun, Japan's three megabanks, Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, and Mizuho Bank, will provide Rapidus with up to JPY2 trillion (approx. US$12.8 billion) in financing
Friday 12 December 2025
TSMC pauses work on second Kumamoto wafer fab amid potential shift to AI chip production
TSMC, through its Japanese subsidiary Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM), has halted construction on its second wafer fabrication facility in Kikuyo Town, Kumamoto Prefecture. The project, initially intended to produce 6-7nm and 40nm automotive and image sensor chips, saw a near-complete stoppage roughly two months after groundbreaking in October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
Huawei and YMTC expand into South Korea’s consumer SSD market following Micron’s exit

Huawei is moving to capitalize on a tightening consumer solid-state drive (SSD) market in South Korea, introducing new products this month as established suppliers raise prices and Micron prepares to exit the segment. The shift, driven by surging demand for enterprise products supporting artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, is pushing South Korean PC makers to seek alternative suppliers, potentially opening the door for Chinese brands

Friday 12 December 2025
Nvidia-certified acquisition positions Lens Technology for rapid expansion in AI servers
Amid the global AI surge, Lens Technology acquired PMG International to gain a 95.1% stake in Yuans Technology, an Nvidia-certified supplier specializing in liquid cooling and server racks. This strategic move enhances Lens's capabilities in AI server hardware, complementing its consumer electronics expertise
Friday 12 December 2025
Huawei–SMIC chip hits milestone, still lags TSMC’s 5nm

China is accelerating its semiconductor capabilities through technical gains at Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.(SMIC) while simultaneously mandating the use of domestic processors across state sectors to circumvent US export controls

Friday 12 December 2025
Samsung reportedly accelerates Pyeongtaek expansion to ramp up HBM4 and 1c DRAM production

Samsung Electronics is reportedly accelerating construction at its Pyeongtaek semiconductor complex to expand production of next-generation high-bandwidth memory, aiming to secure supply for global cloud providers and AI chipmakers as demand intensifies. The company has reportedly approved plans to convert additional space in its P4 fab into dedicated 1c DRAM lines and has advanced completion dates for key production zones, according to Korean media reports

Friday 12 December 2025
China's transformer makers expand capacity in green energy upgrades
The global power equipment supply chain is facing a transformer shortage due to the unrelenting AI data center construction and demand for renewable energy. Delivery times for key equipment have been significantly extended, with some large transformers requiring as long as 24 months. This not only tests grid resilience but also creates challenges for major tech firms urgently seeking new power capacity
Friday 12 December 2025
Advantech expands AI ITS platform across key South Korean cities
Advantech is accelerating deployment of its end-to-end intelligent transportation system (ITS) platform as global demand for smart traffic infrastructure rises. The company has expanded its footprint across South Korea through projects in Busan, Jeju, Incheon, Gwangju, Anyang, and Daegu, delivering systems for pedestrian–vehicle coordination, school zone safety alerts, and intersection conflict detection
Friday 12 December 2025
Rapidus secures Canon, SoftBank backing for 2nm chip ambitions
Canon has reportedly entered final negotiations to invest in a state-backed chipmaker, while SoftBank prepares to increase its financial support, marking a significant step in Japan's bid to revitalize its semiconductor industry. Kyodo News reported that the funding aims to support mass production of 2nm chips at the Chitose plant in Hokkaido by the second half of fiscal 2027 and establish a foundation for future 1.4nm manufacturing
Friday 12 December 2025
Samsung's TM Roh to reportedly hold surprise CES meeting with Micron CEO on DRAM supply
Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing for urgent negotiations with Micron Technology at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, as surging mobile DRAM prices and tightening supply threaten to disrupt production plans for the upcoming Galaxy S26, according to South Korean media reports
Thursday 11 December 2025
China's auto sector faces major reshuffling as subsidies end and sales slump
Passenger vehicle retail sales in China declined by 8% year-over-year in November 2025, the largest drop in nearly a year and the first negative growth period since 2023, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). This downturn signals early signs of a significant industry reshuffle triggered by the withdrawal of longstanding subsidy programs
Thursday 11 December 2025
Nvidia says no concrete evidence yet in alleged DeepSeek GPU smuggling case
Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek is under scrutiny for allegedly circumventing US export restrictions by illegally acquiring thousands of Nvidia's Blackwell architecture GPUs. Nvidia acknowledged the situation but said it had no concrete evidence and would investigate all available leads
Thursday 11 December 2025
China's polysilicon glut triggers US-backed supply chain realignment

China's dominance of the global polysilicon market is forcing the industry into two divergent paths: domestic consolidation to manage a swelling glut, and US-backed overseas production to diversify supply chains. The trend highlights a deepening geopolitical divide over a material essential to both solar manufacturing and high-purity semiconductor applications

Thursday 11 December 2025
ZTE hit by US foreign bribery probe with fines exceeding US$1bn
Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp. is again under regulatory scrutiny, as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigates alleged foreign bribery that could lead to more than US$1 billion in fines, Reuters reported. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) probe covers ZTE's activities in Latin America and other regions, raising the risk of fresh penalties and the possible reinstatement of export restrictions if talks fail