Trade sanctions and tech blockades have become the preferred weapons of influence in the ongoing geopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and China. Yet for all the volleying, victories have been uneven—and in some cases, surprising
Against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical strain and unresolved trade friction, the US and China have concluded a new round of high-level negotiations, releasing a joint statement to adjust and suspend recently imposed tariffs. Though narrow in scope, the deal signals a partial de-escalation and offers markets overdue relief after months of volatility since April 2025
Following a high-level meeting in Geneva, the US and China abruptly announced a 90-day pause in their ongoing tariff war. Under the deal, both countries agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs to 10% for 90 days. However, US tariffs on Chinese fentanyl-related goods remain, and Trump-era levies still keep China's overall tariff burden near 30%—a truce in form, not in substance
Apple executives have stated they are evaluating adding AI-powered search to their Safari browser, a move that caused Alphabet, Google's parent company, to see its stock price plunge. In response, Google issued a public statement stressing that search traffic from Apple devices continues to grow
On May 6, Mitsubishi Motors signed a memorandum of understanding with Foxconn's EV arm, Foxtron Vehicle Technologies, to jointly explore EV development, design, and manufacturing. The deal signals a major milestone for Foxconn's carmaking ambitions and a telling concession by Mitsubishi as it seeks to stay competitive in the breakneck global EV race
Malaysia boasts resilient economic and industrial fundamentals, underpinned by reliable infrastructure, natural resource availability, and an established manufacturing base. In the Southeast Asian semiconductor landscape, it ranks just behind Singapore, home to cutting-edge wafer fabs, but leads the region in large-scale assembly, testing, and packaging operations
In Taiwan, car prices have long been a hot topic among consumers. With recent debates surrounding whether or not to lower import tariffs, the pricing gap between domestic and imported vehicles has once again taken center stage
After surging to a multi-decade high last week, the New Taiwan dollar (NT$) has reversed course, weakening 0.45% on May 6 to close at NT$30.28 against the US dollar. The currency's volatility is unsettling Taiwan's export-oriented industries, which had already been grappling with the implications of a stronger NT dollar on margins and competitiveness. The erratic moves have sparked uneasy comparisons to the 1985 Plaza Accord—raising the question: could Taiwan be headed toward its own version of that historic realignment
Despite surpassing analysts' forecasts for both revenue and profit in its fiscal second quarter, Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed caution about the months ahead, citing growing uncertainty from US-China trade tensions and tariff risks. In response, Apple is accelerating efforts to diversify its manufacturing base, working closely with partners like Foxconn to shift more production to India and Vietnam
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
US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Tuesday (April 29, 2025, PT), easing certain tariffs affecting automakers. The rollback of these trade measures, which companies like Ford and General Motors had warned could hurt US manufacturing by raising production costs and squeezing profit margins, offers short-term relief
For five consecutive quarters through the first quarter of 2025, Intel Corporation has grappled with a staggering cumulative net loss of US$19.57 billion, marking the most protracted period of sustained losses in the company's history since 1990
In early April, US President Donald Trump floated the idea of reciprocal tariffs, ramping up import duties on Chinese goods to as high as 125%. Yet on April 23, he reversed course, stating that current tariffs on Chinese imports are too high and promising to significantly lower them, adding that he would pursue "friendly" dialogue with Beijing
In April 2024, Jensen Huang participated in a critical gathering at a five-star hotel in Beijing, which would determine whether Nvidia could continue its operations in the Chinese market. Known as the "AI godfather," the Silicon Valley legend now finds himself at a geopolitical crossroads. Looking back over the past 30 years, his story in China unfolds like a trilogy intertwining business, politics, ideals, and reality
Following US President Donald Trump's executive orders implementing reciprocal tariff measures, the China-US trade war has escalated rapidly. China's response now extends beyond traditional trade items to impact the civil aviation industry, showing a more forceful stance than in previous disputes
