The Taiwan Expo in the Philippines opened on September 17, 2025 in Manila after a six-year hiatus. James Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), noted that Taiwan's return to the Philippines comes amid drastically changed international supply chains and geopolitical dynamics. Both the Philippine government and business sectors now have stronger trust in the technological solutions Taiwan offers.

Amid uncertainties posed by major powers such as the US and China, Japan and Europe are strengthening their ties. The scope of Japan-EU cooperation could potentially expand to include the development of rare earth resources in Greenland.

The biennial Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE 2025) opened this week, marking the largest event in its history — both in scale and significance. The surge in participation from Taiwan's government, domestic manufacturers, and foreign defense firms underscores the island's rising importance in the global security and supply chain landscape.

Apple is moving closer to entering the foldable smartphone market, with early development of a foldable iPhone already underway, industry sources told Nikkei Asia. The company has discussed plans with suppliers to establish a test production line in Taiwan, while mass production is expected to take place in India ahead of a possible 2026 launch.

Cyient Semiconductors has entered a strategic partnership with US-based Anora, headquartered in Texas, to provide end-to-end semiconductor development solutions, from design to production testing. The collaboration combines Cyient's expertise in custom ASIC/ASSP design and intelligent power platforms with Anora's specialization in semiconductor test, validation, and production.

With increasing demand in artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles (EVs), and new energy sectors, relay manufacturer Song Chuan is transforming its business model to capitalize on these emerging markets. The company reported a significant revenue surge in its new energy products, highlighting a strategic pivot from traditional relay manufacturing toward becoming a comprehensive new energy solutions provider.

Electromechanical controller manufacturer Syntec Technology officially debuted on the stock market on September 17, marking a new chapter for the Taiwan-based company in the robotics industry. Chairman Peter Tsai expressed confidence in the firm's post-IPO prospects, highlighting the substantial development potential in smart robotics over the coming 10 to 20 years. While acknowledging that the technology may not always be at the forefront of innovation, Tsai emphasized that this represents a fundamentally new application field.

Flex Power Modules and Japan's Renesas Electronics have announced a new strategic partnership aimed at tackling the surging energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI).

Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors plans to complete its CEO transition by October 2025. Current CEO Kurt Sievers, who will remain in the position until then, made what is likely his final visit to Taiwan as chief executive during SEMICON Taiwan 2025. Incoming CEO Rafael Sotomayor also attended the event and met with Taiwanese partners as part of the planned leadership change.

The US and Britain unveiled a sweeping set of agreements during President Donald Trump's second state visit to the UK, cementing closer ties in technology, energy, and finance, according to multiple reports from Reuters, CNBC, Bloomberg, and The Financial Times.

Amid the turmoil on the global stage in recent years, Pegatron chairman TH Tung has highlighted three major challenges in the short to mid-term, including updates to the US's reciprocal tariff policies, exchange rate fluctuations that may have further long-term impacts, and competition from China, Japan, and South Korea. For Taiwanese manufacturers, some may need government policy support as they further seek overseas expansion, while those remaining rooted in Taiwan will need to enhance automation to maintain their competitive edge amid fierce market pressures.

Zolix, a major Chinese supplier of precision optical instruments and mechanical control technologies, is expanding its domestic and international presence despite macroeconomic challenges, including tariffs. The company has established branches in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Xi'an, while also maintaining distributors in France, Poland, and South Korea.

On the evening of September 8, 2025, Xiaomi issued an internal notice that abruptly ended Wang Teng's rapid nine-year rise within the company. The under-40 executive, who had served as general manager of Xiaomi's China marketing division, was officially terminated for "leaking confidential company information" and "conflicts of interest."

South Korea's information and communications technology (ICT) exports in August 2025 reached a record high for the period compared to previous years. Due to rising memory semiconductor prices and increased investment in artificial intelligence server infrastructure, semiconductor export values also reached an all-time high.

ASM Technologies, an India-based publicly listed company in engineering design-led manufacturing, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Tamil Nadu to invest INR2.5 billion (approx. US$28.38 million) in the state.

Server ODMs are significantly expanding their production capabilities to meet the surging demand in the artificial intelligence (AI) market. Mike Yang, EVP at Quanta, revealed efforts to increase capacity at facilities in the US and Thailand, with a new plant in Mexico set to begin production in early 2026. The scale of orders has grown beyond prior expectations, driving this intensified expansion.

The global artificial intelligence (AI) boom is not only driving demand for AI servers and AI data center hardware construction but also pushing high-voltage direct current (HVDC) to become the future mainstream in power supply due to the AI sector's massive energy consumption. This shift is accelerating investments from power grids, heavy electrical equipment, and power supply manufacturers, while the technical and capital barriers are expected to trigger a new round of market shakeouts.

Although the AI glasses market has yet to experience clear explosive growth, major system manufacturers, brands, and startups are continuously increasing their resources and development efforts for new products and solutions. Chipmakers share this high level of anticipation toward the technology trend, marking a stark contrast from their previous cautious stance regarding short-term mass adoption.

According to Ddaily, Samsung announced it will expand its India Innovation Campus (SIC) program from four states to ten this year, aiming to train 20,000 students, six times last year's intake. The program, aligned with India's "Make in India" and "Skill India" initiatives, covers AI, IoT, big data, and coding, with potential to feed talent into Samsung's Noida facility, the world's largest smartphone plant.

Panasonic Group's subsidiary, Panasonic Industry, announced plans to construct a new factory in central Thailand with an investment of JPY17 billion (approx. US$115 million). The facility will produce multilayer circuit board materials specifically designed for artificial intelligence (AI) servers, addressing the surging global demand driven by generative AI technologies.

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of September 8–September 14.

Pegatron chairman TH Tung attended the Taoyuan Enterprise Summit on September 12, during which he shared his views on the economic climate for the second half of 2025. Despite initial concerns about the impact of US reciprocal tariffs in the first half of the year possibly extending into the second half, strong upstream component orders in July and August indicate that there is still momentum in the consumer market. With the peak consumption season approaching, Tung expects that the second half could usher in a "calm autumn."

Lite-On Technology commemorated its 50th anniversary as chairman Tom Soong urged swift transformation as the rapid AI surge reshapes global competition. The firm plans to double overseas R&D staff while partnering with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre to blend AI and art, symbolizing its commitment to innovation and cultural synergy.

As the smartphone market nears saturation, smart glasses are emerging as the next frontier for AI-enabled wearable devices. Foxconn is positioning itself beyond contract assembly by investing in local augmented reality (AR) technology company Jorjin and leveraging subsidiary Omniguider to develop application solutions, signaling a comprehensive approach to the evolving AI glasses market.