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Wednesday 11 February 2026
ByteDance reportedly in talks with Samsung on chip development amid US Nvidia curbs

China's ByteDance is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) chip and is in talks with Samsung Electronics to manufacture it, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter, as the TikTok parent seeks to secure a supply of advanced processors

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Thursday 12 February 2026
Samsung reclaims AI crown with world-first HBM4 mass production
Samsung Electronics has officially commenced the mass production and commercial shipment of its HBM4 memory, marking a pivotal moment in the global semiconductor landscape
Thursday 12 February 2026
China's Lenovo profit drops 21% even as revenue climbs 18%, flags memory shortage pressure
Lenovo Group reported a 21% decline in third-quarter profit but exceeded analyst expectations as strong revenue growth, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) demand, helped offset margin pressures. The company also warned of mounting pressure on PC shipments due to a worsening memory-chip shortage
Thursday 12 February 2026
Column: USA Rare Earth acquisition of UK's LCM marks milestone in Western rare earth autonomy
Rare earth metals are essential to modern industry and defense. They are found in high-performance motors, precision weapon guidance systems, and a range of green energy technologies. Yet the global rare earth supply chain has long suffered severe imbalances
Thursday 12 February 2026
Z.ai unveils GLM-5, advances AI agents and China chip compatibility

Ahead of the Lunar New Year, Chinese AI startup Z.ai (formerly Zhipu AI) released its open-source model GLM-5, highlighting AI agent capabilities and coding performance. The company said the user experience is "approaching Anthropic Claude Opus 4.5.

Thursday 12 February 2026
China dominates 90% of South Korea's EV fast-charger modules

South Korea is moving to domestically produce key components for electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers, as Chinese-made power modules account for more than 90% of those installed in the country, according to a Hankyung report

Thursday 12 February 2026
Applied Materials settles with BIS for US$252.5 million over SMIC shipments
Applied Materials, a Santa Clara-based semiconductor equipment maker, has reached a US$252.5 million settlement with the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to resolve allegations of illegal exports to China. The penalty represents the second-highest civil fine ever imposed by the BIS and the maximum amount permitted by statute — equal to twice the value of the illegal transactions
Thursday 12 February 2026
Samsung's premium TV discounts reflect pressure from China's expanding mini LED push
Samsung Electronics' pricing for premium televisions is drawing scrutiny in South Korea as significant gaps emerge between official online prices and aggressive in-store promotional bundles, reflecting mounting competitive pressure from Chinese brands
Thursday 12 February 2026
SMIC warns AI pull-forward is rewriting chip cycle, lifts mature-node pricing
The global foundry industry is undergoing a structural shift, and it is emerging first in mature process nodes once widely considered oversupplied. SMIC stated on February 11 that its performance in the first quarter of 2025 defied seasonality. Utilization held steady from the prior quarter, and pricing for mature nodes has begun to stabilize
Thursday 12 February 2026
The Netherlands draws a harder line on Nexperia’s Chinese parent
The Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal in the Netherlands has ordered a formal investigation into Dutch chipmaker Nexperia BV, deepening a legal dispute that has curtailed the control of its Chinese parent, Wingtech Technology Co
Thursday 12 February 2026
Samsung weighs Europe chip expansion after Intel retreat opens German window

Samsung is reportedly evaluating a potential European semiconductor expansion alongside its South Korea and US manufacturing base, as the region tightens local production requirements and Germany seeks a replacement for a cancelled flagship chip investment

Thursday 12 February 2026
Analysis: Singapore rises as SEA hub as Taiwan, China firms shift strategy
As global supply chains shift from globalization toward regionalization and the "China plus one" strategy persists, Singapore's role in Southeast Asia has undergone a fundamental transformation. Once primarily a transshipment hub for trade, the city-state has evolved into a regional coordination and compliance center. Observations indicate that Taiwanese and Chinese companies are now utilizing Singapore to pursue distinctly different strategic approaches
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Globe's direct-to-cell satellite service aims to boost coverage and resilience across the Philippines
Globe Telecom stated that it will be the first operator in Southeast Asia to offer direct-to-cell satellite connectivity, becoming the second Asian carrier to collaborate with SpaceX on satellite data communications, following Japan's KDDI
Wednesday 11 February 2026
AI demand fuels photonics-semiconductor convergence at APE 2026
As artificial intelligence workloads push traditional computing architectures to their limits, the photonics industry is emerging as a critical enabler of next-generation data center infrastructure. The third Asia Photonics Expo (APE 2026), which concluded on February 6, 2026, reflected this shift, bringing together more than 240 exhibitors and nine international pavilions to showcase how optical technologies are becoming increasingly intertwined with semiconductor manufacturing and high-performance computing systems
Wednesday 11 February 2026
India broadens deep tech definition and extends startup eligibility to spur frontier innovation
India has overhauled its startup policy framework to broaden the definition of deep tech and extend eligibility for government support to 20 years, a move aimed at better aligning regulation and funding with the long development cycles of science- and engineering-led companies, according to TechCrunch, Bloomberg, and ThePrint
Wednesday 11 February 2026
ASE focuses on Malaysia expansion, ADI plant acquisition expected to close in 2Q26
After US President Donald Trump took office, he vigorously promoted the reshoring of the chip manufacturing supply chain, prompting some Taiwanese companies to shift the focus of their overseas expansion from previously favored new hubs in Southeast Asia to Arizona, where TSMC is located. Dr. Tien Wu, chief operating officer of ASE Technology Holding, said that the group's future overseas manufacturing footprint will still center on Penang, Malaysia, with the Philippines and South Korea serving as complementary bases, targeting automotive and robotics orders from global IDM customers