China's Ministry of State Security on July 18 accused foreign intelligence agencies of working with domestic operatives to smuggle rare earth elements out of the country. In a WeChat post, the ministry said the materials were shipped overseas in "small batches across multiple shipments," with smugglers frequently altering delivery routes to evade detection.
Eikei chairman Shih-Lin Liu stated that the impact of tariffs and exchange rates has temporarily eased, with customer orders gradually stabilizing. Looking ahead to the second half of 2025, following small-scale deliveries of US-based AI server cooling distribution unit (CDU) boards starting from the second quarter, the company expects a stable surge in orders in the third quarter, potentially driving an operational split of 40% in the first half and 60% in the second half of the year.
Taiwan's Forward Science Corp. (Forwardtek), a leading vacuum pump supplier, has launched its new V-pro smart vacuum pump and EcoNanoPur energy-saving system — an integrated platform that combines AI diagnostics, predictive maintenance, carbon tracking, and ESG-centric features for semiconductor manufacturing.
Washington has formally approved shipments of Nvidia's H20 artificial intelligence chips to China, a decision widely seen as a strategic compromise shaped by both geopolitical calculations and commercial realities.
On July 18, 2025, in Beijing, China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao attended a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on the country's high-quality fulfillment of targets set for the 14th Five-Year Plan period. He announced that on July 17, he met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Beijing, signaling China's continued engagement with American high-tech companies.
Connector maker CviLux held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new factory in Dongguan's Changping region, as part of the company's plan to accelerate the consolidation of production capacity in China. This comes amid the larger trend for manufacturers to relocate production outside of China due to ongoing tensions between China and the United States.
TSMC lifted its full-year revenue outlook in dollar terms during an earnings call, citing robust demand for high-performance computing chips driven by artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The world's largest contract chipmaker benefits from the ongoing AI surge even as multiple macroeconomic challenges persist.
India's electronics manufacturing services (EMS) sector is gaining momentum amid global supply chain realignment. Kaynes Electronics will invest INR3.52 billion to build a new high-tech facility in Bhopal, highlighting Central India's growing role in the country's push to attract electronics production beyond China.
Leading US glass substrate manufacturer Corning stated that China is the only market outside of the US that has deployed all five of its major business segments. Corning's accumulated investments in China have surpassed US$9 billion, with over 90% of its raw materials sourced locally.
TSMC lifted its full-year dollar revenue forecast and signaled stable second-half orders, providing relief to a supply chain grappling with tariff uncertainties and softening consumer demand.
As the 90-day grace period for reciprocal tariffs ends, the Trump administration has sent tariff notices to trade partners. Effective August 1, 2025, Japan and South Korea will face 25% tariffs; Canada will face 35%; and the EU and Mexico will face 30%. While the negotiation window remains open, at least a 10% tariff is expected, stirring the pot for global tariff uncertainty.
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