The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released updated tariff guidelines on the evening of April 11, setting a uniform 10% duty on major electronic products—including notebooks, smartphones, and servers. This replaces the previously proposed country-specific reciprocal tariffs. However, China remains subject to a higher rate.

The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to cut national debt and encourage the return of manufacturing to American shores, aligning with the "Make America Great Again" initiative. This focus aims at key industry leaders, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Apple, which derives a substantial portion of its revenue from the US, as well as sectors encompassing mobile phones, PCs, servers, and automobiles.

Beijing Onmicro Electronics Co. (OnMicro), a top Chinese fabless RF chip designer, filed for an IPO on the Shanghai STAR Market on March 28, 2025. The company seeks to raise around CNY2.067 billion (approx. US$281.4 million), becoming the second unprofitable firm cleared under the updated STAR Market listing rules. With backing from Xiaomi and Huawei, OnMicro aims to break the foreign stronghold on high-end RF front-end semiconductors.

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, is making significant strides in advancing its production capabilities with plans for its 2nm and 1.0nm process nodes. As the company accelerates its technological developments, these initiatives are positioned to play a critical role in Samsung's push to maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry.

The sudden imposition of hefty tariffs by the US has caught Taiwanese manufacturers off guard, particularly those who have recently shifted production capacity to Southeast Asia. Thailand and Vietnam have been hit with tariffs as high as 37% and 46%. With 2025 marking the peak of new PCB production capacity expansion in Thailand, this tariff news has shaken the industry.