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Thursday 9 April 2026
ChipX targets AI data center market with photonics, power chips ahead of Malaysia fab
Semiconductor startup ChipX is moving to commercialize silicon photonics and high-voltage power chip technologies for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, as it advances plans to build a wafer fabrication facility in Malaysia, executives said in an exclusive interview with DIGITIMES Asia during a visit to Taipei
Thursday 9 April 2026
Helium and tungsten shortages threaten South Korea's semiconductor industry
China's tightening grip on critical mineral exports is sending shockwaves through Asia's semiconductor supply chain. South Korea's chip industry, already on edge over the potential impact of the US-Iran conflict on helium supplies, is now confronting a more immediate threat: a looming shortage of tungsten hexafluoride (WF6). As Beijing's export controls on tungsten shipments to Japan grow increasingly restrictive, Korean chipmakers are finding it harder to secure one of the most essential gases in semiconductor manufacturing
Thursday 9 April 2026
China accelerates semiconductor equipment localization; Korean firms eyeing Taiwan as orders slip
In response to US semiconductor sanctions and to accelerate AI industry development, China is aggressively promoting localization in semiconductor manufacturing. While South Korean equipment makers initially viewed this as an opportunity to expand in the Chinese market, the gradual implementation of a "50% localization rule" is now beginning to impact orders. Rapid technological progress by Chinese equipment vendors is expected to further squeeze foreign suppliers' presence in China
Thursday 9 April 2026
Nvidia demo highlights China's role in humanoid robot hardware

Nvidia, Google, and Tesla are driving the humanoid robotics race, but competition is shifting to the hardware supply chain. The US leads in AI models and advanced chips, while China's manufacturing ecosystem is becoming central to global humanoid robot production

Thursday 9 April 2026
French President's visit reportedly links Mistral AI with Samsung for AI memory supply talks
French AI startup Mistral AI recently visited Samsung Electronics' campus to discuss collaboration on AI memory solutions. Industry analysts see this move as part of Mistral AI's push to build Europe's largest AI infrastructure, signaling Samsung as a key partner for memory chips
Thursday 9 April 2026
Shanghai GTA Semiconductor teams up with Infineon on SONOS memory for automotive chips

Shanghai state-backed foundry GTA Semiconductor has partnered with Infineon Technologies to introduce SONOS-based embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) into production, positioning itself more firmly in automotive and industrial chip supply chains

Wednesday 8 April 2026
China intervenes in memory supply; Apple outpaces local smartphone vendors
Memory shortages are pushing prices sharply higher, forcing a reshuffle across the consumer electronics market. Chinese authorities have intervened for a second time, convening domestic memory leaders CXMT and YMTC to provide "strategic support" aimed at stabilizing prices and containing supply chain costs for local brands. Yet with a wide supply-demand gap in DRAM and NAND flash, near-term price stabilization remains unlikely
Wednesday 8 April 2026
Chinese energy storage players flock to growing AI data center market in face of fierce domestic competition
Chinese energy storage players are going all in on the AI data center market, as intense domestic competition has caused falling profit margins from traditional storage projects. The booming token economy is changing the role of AI data center energy storage from simply backup power to a core element of computing power
Wednesday 8 April 2026
SK Hynix reportedly in talks with Microsoft and Google on long-term AI memory deals
After Samsung Electronics moved to secure long-term memory supply agreements with major technology companies, rival SK Hynix is now pursuing similar deals with leading artificial intelligence firms, including Microsoft and Google
Wednesday 8 April 2026
US-China tech clash over chips intensifies ahead of summit, with global supply-chain implications
As US and Chinese leaders prepared for a mid-May summit, proposed US export controls on semiconductor equipment under the MATCH Act and China's sharp state-media rebuttal signaled heightened tech tensions with far-reaching global supply-chain implications. Analysts have characterized the moves as pre-summit leverage that could reshape chip manufacturing and trade flows
Wednesday 8 April 2026
China's AI and cloud firms step up use of domestic chips
China's leading AI and cloud companies are shifting toward domestically produced AI chips, a move with global implications for supply chains, technology competition, and cloud services. The trend could reduce demand for foreign semiconductors while accelerating China's practical deployment of AI on homegrown platforms, affecting international vendors and developers alike
Wednesday 8 April 2026
Taiwan warns of Beijing's covert push to poach AI and chip talent

According to the latest report submitted by Taiwan's National Security Bureau to the Legislative Yuan, China is increasingly targeting Taiwan in an effort to circumvent international technological restrictions. Beijing has set its sights on Taiwan's high-tech sectors—particularly artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and precision machinery—seeking to lure companies to establish operations or maintain a presence in China under the framework of its 15th Five-Year Plan

Wednesday 8 April 2026
Chinese SSD maker DapuStor sees rising QLC demand as AI drives storage growth
Chinese enterprise SSD (eSSD) maker DapuStor entered its IPO subscription phase in early April 2026, driven by rapid expansion in AI infrastructure. The company recently observed multiple downstream customers significantly revising their order forecasts upwards after the Lunar New Year holidays. DapuStor highlighted that QLC SSDs are becoming a key trend for North American and Chinese cloud service providers (CSPs) to ease cost and capacity pressures. Its 245TB product has officially reached customer sampling stages
Wednesday 8 April 2026
Analysis: China's humanoid robot market forms three-player structure at scaling inflection point

China's AgiBot Innovation (Shanghai) Technology has shipped its 10,000th humanoid robot, the Agibot Expedition A3, signalling early mass production at scale. Output doubled from 5,000 units at the end of 2025 within three months. While Tesla's Optimus timeline remains under scrutiny, China's humanoid robot push is already scaling, led by AgiBot, Unitree Robotics, and Ubtech Robotics in an emerging three-player structure

Wednesday 8 April 2026
Singapore's first robotaxi enters public service, signaling a new phase for autonomous mobility
Ai.R, a robotaxi service jointly launched by Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide and Southeast Asian super-app Grab, has began public operations in Punggol, Singapore. The launch offers global observers an example of urban autonomous mobility scaling from trials to community service, with implications for regulation, workforce transition, and regional deployment strategies