China has begun easing restrictions on rare earth exports by approving a series of general licenses for qualified suppliers, according to the Ministry of Commerce on December 18, 2025. The move allows for smoother shipments to overseas customers and signals a measured loosening of trade controls that had tightened earlier this year

China's GPU start-ups are back at the center of a capital-market frenzy. Following Moore Threads, five-year-old MetaX has listed on Shanghai's STAR Market, with its shares surging more than sevenfold on debut. At its peak, the company's market capitalization briefly hit CNY330 billion (US$46.9 billion)—a striking number for a business generating just CNY1.5–2 billion in annual revenue, and one that would raise eyebrows even by global semiconductor standards

As competitive pressures in China's domestic auto market continue to intensify, Chinese carmakers are rapidly upgrading their overseas expansion strategies. What was once a straightforward export business—selling vehicles abroad—has evolved into what industry executives describe as "Go Global 2.0": a coordinated effort to export entire industrial systems and ecosystems, not just finished products

Hotai Motor Co. plans to invest approximately NT$10 billion (US$317 million) in Japan's commercial vehicle market, marking its first international expansion. The company will acquire an 80% stake in five Hino Motors Ltd. subsidiaries, pending regulatory approval. The deal is expected to close in April 2026

China's 3C market has been reporting successive price hikes despite a sluggish macroeconomic environment and deflationary pressure. Xiaomi, followed by Honor, Lenovo, and Dell, have increased prices, demonstrating the impact of memory shortages on the 3C end market

SK Hynix is accelerating the build-out of its M15X memory chip plant in Cheongju, South Korea, as the company installs manufacturing tools and moves into the final engineering phase for a second cleanroom, underscoring its push to scale production of high-bandwidth memory chips used in advanced servers and data centers

As humanoid robots emerge as a key technology riding the wave of AI, the US and China are rapidly forming two competing camps. Industry insiders analyzing their strengths say the US holds an edge mainly in software and foundational models, while China slightly outpaces the US in hardware innovation and iteration speed, with costs reportedly just one-fifth those of American products, making it difficult for other countries to catch up in the short term

As global technology groups push beyond raw computing power into large-scale deployment, Alibaba Group is showing clear acceleration in AI application rollout across its core businesses

A South Korean logic IC startup is moving closer to cable-free device design with the development of a 60GHz millimeter-wave communication chip designed to replace short-range wired connections in consumer and industrial electronics

Cable and stainless steel maker Walsin Lihwa is expanding its business scope by entering high-value markets such as AI servers, automotive, robotics, consumer electronics, and energy with a new stainless steel product line. The company recently introduced the Steeval cold-drawn stainless steel bars designed for critical applications requiring precision and durability

Low-priced imported cement continues to undermine Taiwan's domestic low-carbon cement development, prompting TCC Group Holdings chairman Nelson An-ping Chang to propose two key recommendations ahead of the upcoming 2026 trial launch of Taiwan's carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). He called for strict enforcement of a single material source rule in public projects and mandatory third-party international certification for imported cement, warning that without these measures, inspection mechanisms risk becoming ineffective

Several experts have raised concerns that while the US maintains leadership in advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models, it is lagging behind in open-source AI development. American companies are increasingly turning to Chinese open-source AI solutions due to cost and deployment advantages, potentially exposing the US to supply chain disruptions and national security risks

LG Energy Solution (LGES) has ended a major electric vehicle (EV) battery supply agreement with Ford Motor Company valued at about KRW9.6 trillion (approx. US$6.53 billion). The termination highlights ongoing challenges and potential prolongation of the EV demand shortfall, industry observers say