LG Energy Solution (LGES) of South Korea has exited its US$8.45 billion electric vehicle (EV) battery project in Indonesia, prompting the Indonesian government to court China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd. (Huayou) as a potential replacement investor

China's booming auto industry is moving beyond product competition as automakers increasingly prioritize unified safety standards for intelligent driving systems. The sector is transitioning toward a technology-driven growth model built around standardization and long-term scalability

Advanced L3–L5 autonomous driving has long been a critical battleground in the technological rivalry between the US and China. Recently, as both nations aim for L5 fully autonomous vehicles, their regulatory approaches have begun to diverge sharply: the US is moving toward deregulation, while China is tightening its oversight

Washington's export controls and escalating US-China chip tensions have dominated headlines, but American semiconductor leaders continue to rely heavily on the Chinese market. In 2023, China drove 27% of Intel's global revenue, roughly US$14.6 billion, and 15% of AMD's, about US$3.4 billion. Nvidia reported China accounted for over 13% of its fiscal 2025 revenue, totaling approximately US$17 billion. Despite Beijing's push for self-reliance, these numbers highlight China's critical role for US chipmakers. However, Chinese customs data reveals a stark contrast, with US semiconductors comprising just 3% of China's total chip imports

The memory market is seeing a sharp surge, fueled by rising contract prices since the second quarter and Samsung Electronics' move to phase out DDR4 modules, as revealed in communications with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This shift has sparked a significant jump in spot market prices, with DDR4 modules leading the charge. Despite lingering concerns over potential tariff hikes, constrained supply from upstream manufacturers and aggressive stockpiling by buyers have helped sustain the upward momentum in prices

With panel supply-demand conditions improving and demand for larger displays accelerating, TCL Technology's semiconductor display business is staging a strong comeback. According to its 2024 annual report and 2025 first-quarter results released on April 29, TCL posted record-high figures in its display segment, with robust revenue and profit growth underscoring its strengthened position in a recovering industry

China's electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 28 for its new factory in Cambodia, with plans to begin production in late 2025 at an annual capacity of 10,000 units

Samsung Electronics beat expectations in the first quarter of 2025, posting revenue of KRW79.1 trillion (US$55 billion) and operating profit of KRW6.7 trillion. However, its Device Solutions (DS) division—responsible for semiconductors—reported KRW25.1 trillion in revenue and KRW1.1 trillion in operating profit, down 17% and 62% from the previous quarter

Xiaomi has unveiled its first large language model for inference tasks, "Xiaomi MiMo," signaling a bold entry into the competitive AI landscape. Known for its roots in IoT and smartphones, the tech giant now aims to stake a claim in the large language model (LLM) market

The adage "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" aptly describes China's response to US tariffs and export controls. Rather than hindering Beijing's progress, these measures have accelerated efforts to develop domestic capabilities, particularly in the personal computer (PC) industry. As US companies encounter increasing obstacles in the Chinese market, the Xinchuang PC initiative, which aims to promote homegrown technology, is expected to expand significantly. Projections suggest the program could double in size by 2025, with continued growth anticipated in 2026

China's rapid expansion of domestic memory chip production is creating market volatility and forcing established players to adjust their strategies amid already challenging geopolitical tensions, according to semiconductor industry veteran Marco Mezger

The global memory market is recovering from a downturn, with memory poised to become a key pillar of AI computing. However, Etron Technology Chairman Nicky Lu warned that Chinese manufacturers are rapidly expanding low- to mid-end DRAM capacity, potentially boosting China's market share to 40% within two years and disrupting global pricing and industry structure

Huawei has reportedly begun shipping its CloudMatrix 384 artificial intelligence (AI) system, powered by 384 Ascend 910C chips. The company claims the setup delivers 67% more computing power than Nvidia's NVL72 system but at the expense of significantly higher energy use and staffing requirements

Samsung Electronics reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, revealing revenue of KRW79.1 trillion (US$55.4 billion) and an operating profit of KRW6.7 trillion. Despite ongoing struggles in its semiconductor business, strong smartphone sales significantly contributed to the company's quarterly performance