Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, currently visiting Japan, is expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss potential cooperation in reviving Japan's electronics and semiconductor industries
In response to significant upheavals in both domestic and international environments, China's automotive industry is rapidly consolidating. This includes the long-rumored mergers among state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which are becoming increasingly clear. Meanwhile, foreign automakers with relatively weak manufacturing capabilities in new energy vehicles must expedite partnerships with Chinese companies; otherwise, their survival space in the Chinese market may be further squeezed
Compared to the wafer fabrication industry, which is highly restricted by equipment limitations, China's IC design sector—based on the opportunities within its domestic market—appears to have a more optimistic outlook. According to DIGITIMES, the output value of China's IC design industry reached US$35.8 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to US$73.2 billion by 2030, achieving double-digit annual growth. From autonomous driving chips to electronic design automation (EDA) tools, China aims to cover all aspects of the semiconductor industry and cultivate domestic leaders in each field. Huawei's HiSilicon, Cambricon (AI accelerators), Horizon Robotics (ADAS), and Silergy (often referred to as "China's Texas Instruments") all play key roles in this ecosystem
The semiconductor competition in South Korea is set to intensify in early 2025, with major industry players Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix experiencing contrasting trajectories. While Samsung is likely to continue facing difficulties that started in 2024, SK Hynix is poised to sustain its leadership within the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market through 2025
Following the announcement of the reciprocal tariff policy by US President Donald Trump, South Korean companies are thoroughly reviewing their supply chains and formulating countermeasures. Enterprises with production bases in China and Vietnam may face direct impacts, raising public concern
As US-China tech tensions intensify and a new round of tariffs looms, Chinese semiconductor equipment makers are capitalizing on a rare growth opportunity. With US President Donald Trump advocating higher tariffs on Chinese goods, the cost of importing US semiconductor tools could jump by over 30%, speeding up China's pivot to homegrown alternatives
US's reciprocal tariffs targeting around 60 countries have sparked alarm across Asia and beyond, with Apple emerging as one of the policy's most exposed corporate giants. The tech giant's reliance on manufacturing hubs in Asia could cost it billions as average tariff rates in the region soar
Vietnam faces a 46% US tariff, prompting urgent negotiations and a 45-day delay request. The government seeks balanced trade, boosting US imports and reducing duties on key American goods while diversifying its export markets to mitigate economic impact, according to The Investor, Reuters, and Camodianess
While Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs have unleashed fear and fury around the world, there is one major economy that sees an "opportunity of a lifetime" in the disruptions
The meteoric rise of generative AI has unleashed an insatiable demand for computational power, propelling the memory industry into a fierce technological crucible. While Samsung Electronics continues to catch up with competitors in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the company is proactively advancing its storage technologies. At its Xi'an facility in China, Samsung has constructed an in-house data center, embracing immersion cooling to validate the compatibility of solid-state drive (SSD) materials with cutting-edge coolants
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has teamed up with Tsinghua University researchers to develop a new reinforcement learning framework designed to cut training costs and boost the efficiency of large language models (LLMs)
Naura Technology, a leading Chinese semiconductor equipment provider, reported its fiscal year 2024 results and issued guidance for the first quarter of 2025 on April 8, highlighting sustained growth in both revenue and net income
On April 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs, imposing rates as high as 46% on products from Vietnam, 34% on those from China, 32% on Indonesia, and 26% on goods from India—key regions where many South Korean companies have production hubs. This escalation threatens to disrupt the complex global supply chains of these firms. However, for businesses like Hanwha Solutions and OCI, which run solar energy plants in the US, the changing geopolitical landscape could strengthen their competitive position
Samsung Electronics plans to increase DRAM and NAND Flash memory prices by 3-5% in response to potential new US semiconductor tariffs, according to reports from South Korean media. The global tech giant is currently negotiating these price adjustments with major clients, with some customers already beginning contract discussions based on the anticipated increases
