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Friday 25 April 2025
Why Trump's tariffs are helping China adapt instead of hurting it
US President Donald Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" have sent shockwaves through global markets, yet may be yielding unintended consequences. His strategy, championed in his bestselling "Trump: The Art of the Deal," appears to be backfiring as China adapts and diversifies
Thursday 24 April 2025
Tesla's 2025 slowdown reveals limits of the Musk playbook
Tesla may be stacked with strategic assets—from EV dominance to AI-driven autonomy and advanced energy systems—but 2025 is shaping up as a year of friction. Mounting delays, shifting priorities, and regulatory headwinds are complicating its ability to deliver on expectations
Wednesday 23 April 2025
Robots on the run: China's groundbreaking humanoid marathon reveals tech's growing pains
In a landmark event that tested the limits of current robotics technology, Beijing became the stage for the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon. Nearly 20 teams from across China entered self-developed bipedal robots in this 21.0975-kilometer challenge, which quickly exposed the current limitations of humanoid technology
Wednesday 23 April 2025
Chips, checks, and choke points: Inside TSMC's annual report
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest pure-play foundry, is no stranger to technological disruption. However, its 2024 annual report reveals a growing unease not about silicon, but about sovereignty. From state subsidies to export bans, the geopolitical crosscurrents now shaping the semiconductor industry are directly impacting the company's future
Tuesday 22 April 2025
Taiwan adopts 'Three-Chains' strategy amid intensifying US-China rivalry
Taiwanese government officials warn that the intensifying US-China rivalry is reshaping the world's economic landscape with unpredictable consequences. In response, Minister of Foreign Affairs Chia-lung Lin emphasized Taiwan's "Three-Chain strategy" to navigate these turbulent times: forging a "global democratic value chain," reinforcing the "Indo-Pacific first island chain," and cultivating a "non-red supply chain.
Tuesday 22 April 2025
Alphabet's 1Q on deck: Gauging Wall Street's pulse on AI, infra spend, and legal risk
Major US tech firms are preparing to unveil their latest quarterly earnings, with Alphabet—Google's parent company—kicking things off on April 24, followed by Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon. Investor focus typically centers on cloud service providers' (CSPs) capex trends, AI-related revenue growth, and infrastructure supply. However, recent US tariff uncertainties have shifted attention toward how CSPs are managing supply chain risks and cost fluctuations
Tuesday 22 April 2025
OpenAI's open-source pivot isn't altruism—it's a strategic recalibration
OpenAI has revealed plans to release an open-source AI model in the coming months, though it is still evaluating the appropriate scale for the release. The announcement comes alongside the launch of Codex CLI, an open-source development tool aimed at reinforcing OpenAI's developer ecosystem. While the move signals a growing push toward openness, the company faces two major hurdles: mitigating potential use by Chinese competitors and preserving its revenue growth trajectory
Monday 21 April 2025
Hong Kong's trade role dims under US-China tensions
Once hailed as Asia's freest port and a gateway between China and the world, Hong Kong now finds itself increasingly swept up in the geopolitical undertow of US-China tensions. As Washington ratchets up tariffs on Chinese goods, the city, long treated as a separate economic entity, is no longer spared. The latest round of tariffs signals a deeper shift: the fading distinction between Hong Kong and the mainland in the eyes of US policymakers, raising fresh doubts about the future of "One Country, Two Systems.
Monday 21 April 2025
Jensen Huang's high-stakes gambit: Defying Washington to safeguard Nvidia's future in China
Jensen Huang, the indomitable chief executive of Nvidia, recently grappled with the mercurial and formidable force of US President Donald Trump, whose unpredictability defies conventional analysis. Contrary to widespread speculation that Huang had conceded, he made a surprise visit to Beijing, highlighting the significant value of the Chinese market for Nvidia and signaling a strong intention to sustain collaboration with China
Monday 21 April 2025
Nvidia CEO's suit diplomacy plays out amid US$5.5 billion China inventory setback
Jensen Huang's Beijing appearance in formal attire rather than his trademark leather jacket signals deeper strategic maneuvers as Nvidia navigates increasingly complex US-China tech tensions
Monday 21 April 2025
Tariff fears cloud ASML's outlook as Intel, Samsung pull back
Amid ongoing tariff disputes, the semiconductor industry is facing a severe test. In addition to the imminent semiconductor tariffs promised by US President Donald Trump, which remain somewhat ambiguous, concerns regarding whether demand for AI chips can continue to grow are rising
Saturday 19 April 2025
TSMC's trade war strategy: 3 bold moves to stay on top
As Washington escalates tariff tensions, imposes new AI chip restrictions, and pressures chipmakers to invest in the US, TSMC finds itself navigating three major challenges that could redefine its global strategy
Friday 18 April 2025
US manufacturing development vs. China's brand growth: Is Trump 2.0 clever strategy or miscalculation?
The implementation of US President Donald Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" was temporarily halted before it officially took effect, granting countries a 90-day negotiation buffer. As Trump aims to pressure manufacturers into investing in US manufacturing through tariffs, China continues to vigorously develop its brands
Friday 18 April 2025
Can tariffs achieve the MAGA dream?
The past week has seen a series of twists and turns in US reciprocal tariff rates, with the latest announcement on the US Customs and Border Protection's Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) listing exemptions for 20 HTS product categories, including notebooks, smartphones, tablets, and processors. Market watchers are paying close attention to forthcoming new tariff rates for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, and perhaps more importantly, how the US's trade war on China will develop
Friday 18 April 2025
China tightens noose on US chips—with a twist that splits the industry
As US-China tariff tensions intensify, Beijing is taking aim at American-made semiconductors with new origin rules that could redraw the global chip supply map