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
CCTV's 2026 Spring Festival Gala was the most robot-saturated edition in its history, turning a national broadcast into a showroom for China's humanoid and quadruped industry. Four robotics companies appeared across martial arts, comedy skits, and a holiday short film, in a coordinated push to convert visibility into orders and IPO momentum
TSMC's decision to upgrade its second Kumamoto fab to 3nm reflects long-term customer demand and supply chain strategy rather than competitive pressure from Rapidus, according to Luke Lin, speaking on a DIGITIMES podcast
As global geopolitics continue to shift, Singapore is emerging from its image as a garden city to become a safe harbor for Chinese companies expanding overseas. With competition between the US and China intensifying, Singapore's neutral standing is no longer just diplomatic language for Chinese firms seeking to go global. It has become a core competitive advantage that can determine corporate survival and is increasingly viewed as an invaluable asset
In the final days before the Lunar New Year, a series of high-resolution satellite images began circulating on Taiwanese social media. They showed Barcelona Airport, Tokyo's National Stadium, Taiwan's coastline, science parks, and ports
The 2026 US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed at the end of 2025, introduces significant new business prospects for Taiwanese companies by emphasizing Taiwan's security and cooperation in defense procurement. Key provisions include a US$1 billion Taiwan security cooperation initiative and authorization for the US Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a joint unmanned systems program with Taiwan starting March 1, 2026, focusing on co-developing drones and counter-drone technologies
US President Donald Trump has requested a fiscal year 2027 defense budget of US$1.5 trillion. This represents a nearly 50% increase from fiscal year 2026's roughly US$1 trillion. Trump's goal is clear: rebuild a strong military. Experts expect the budget to significantly boost procurement for expanded naval fleets, advanced aircraft, and new nuclear missile programs
One of the biggest stories in Taiwan's auto market toward the end of 2025 is Foxtron's official announcement to acquire 100% of Luxgen, with the deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. This move marks Foxtron's shift from solely product design and development toward vertical integration, gaining full control over its brand and distribution channels—the critical "export gateway.
The US-Taiwan reciprocal tariff negotiations officially concluded on February 12, 2026. Notably, tariffs on information and communication technology (ICT) and semiconductors remain at zero, and even if tariffs arise in the future, Taiwan will face the lowest rates
China's leading large model developers are accelerating flagship releases, while domestic AI chipmakers are responding almost simultaneously, announcing Day-0 adaptation and optimization as soon as new models are introduced
Due to low production efficiency and intense price competition, major panel makers like AUO, Innolux, and LG Display are selling older LCD factories. Semiconductor companies such as TSMC, Micron, ASE, and SK Hynix have shown strong interest in acquiring these high-spec cleanroom facilities to accelerate expansion amid rising AI demand
The European Commission plans to unveil its "localization ratio" policy by late February 2026 to shape Europe's manufacturing sovereignty. Yet Stellantis's abrupt halt to construction of ACC's lithium battery gigafactories in Germany and Italy has injected immediate uncertainty into that agenda
Minister of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Cheng-wen Wu has recently sparked a firestorm across Taiwan's academic community. His blunt critique of long-standing structural problems—punctuated by provocative phrases such as "very shameful" and "despised"—quickly ignited debate over whether Taiwan's research system has become overly dependent on metrics, entrenched in factionalism, and driven by incentives that prioritize quantity over meaningful impact
America's largest technology companies — including Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft — have begun disclosing their capital spending plans for 2026. The numbers reveal an investment surge driven by the rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence. Combined capital expenditures by the group are now estimated to reach between US$600 billion and US$630 billion. This far exceeds market expectations and rivals the annual gross domestic product of many mid-sized nations
Qun Ge, global senior vice president and chairman and president of Synopsys China, is set to depart. The move appears routine. But it points to deeper structural shifts in the global EDA industry's China market