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Thursday 23 April 2026
Tencent, Alibaba circle DeepSeek in US$20 billion AI deal talks
Chinese tech giants Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group are reportedly in talks to invest in AI startup DeepSeek, as the company seeks fresh funding that could value it at more than US$20 billion, underscoring intensifying competition and rising capital demands in the global AI sector
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Friday 24 April 2026
White House accuses China of 'industrial-scale' AI theft, signals crackdown
The White House has accused China of conducting "industrial-scale" theft of US artificial intelligence intellectual property, a development that could escalate tensions in the ongoing technology rivalry between the two countries, according to the Financial Times, Reuters, and CNN
Friday 24 April 2026
Commentary: DeepSeek rethinks funding strategy under talent drain and AI race
The trajectory of DeepSeek has drawn scrutiny, but its latest move marks a clear inflection point. According to a report by The Information, the company is seeking external funding for the first time, triggering strong interest from China's major tech groups. Four sources familiar with the matter said Tencent and Alibaba are in discussions to invest
Friday 24 April 2026
AI PCB supply crunch squeezes margins on rising materials and energy costs
A tightening supply of high-end materials is emerging as a key constraint just as PCB specifications and manufacturing processes move into a new upgrade cycle. Shortages span from T-glass fiberglass cloth for IC substrates to longer lead times for copper-clad laminates (CCL), with prices for multiple upstream inputs rising in tandem
Friday 24 April 2026
Zhen Ding to invest CNY40 billion in Huai'an to expand high-end PCB capacity

Zhen Ding Technology has broken ground on its HD campus at the Huai'an Technology City in China, as it accelerates investment to expand high-end printed circuit board (PCB) capacity targeting artificial intelligence (AI) applications

Friday 24 April 2026
SMIC returns to advanced packaging, scales team to boost AI chip strategy

China's leading foundry, SMIC, is quietly recalibrating its strategy, moving beyond its long-standing focus on front-end wafer manufacturing to accelerate investments in advanced packaging

Friday 24 April 2026
Apple faces US$38B antitrust fine in India, eyes Trump card for relief
Apple faces a potential US$38 billion antitrust fine in India as Tim Cook prepares to hand leadership to John Ternus, raising both legal and business implications for the company and for India's approach to regulating global tech firms
Friday 24 April 2026
BizLink builds Southeast Asia manufacturing network with distinct roles across key markets

Driven by geopolitical shifts and supply chain restructuring, Southeast Asia has become an important destination for Taiwanese electronics manufacturers seeking to expand capacity and diversify risk. The rise of AI servers and semiconductor equipment markets has further strengthened the region's strategic position in global supply chains

Friday 24 April 2026
Interview: Taiwan-Korea cooperation not limited to memory giants; Hwaseong City aims to expand alliances
When it comes to Taiwan-Korea semiconductor cooperation, the outside world often focuses on orders and R&D between memory giants such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and TSMC. However, centered on Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, emphasizes that the potential of Taiwan-Korea cooperation goes far beyond this; both sides should establish more direct supply chain alliances at the SME level in equipment and components
Friday 24 April 2026
China chipmaker scales beyond security ICs into AI, automotive

Unigroup Guoxin Microelectronics reported steady growth in 2025, reinforcing its position across specialty ICs and security chips while accelerating expansion into AI, automotive electronics, and other emerging applications

Thursday 23 April 2026
SaiMemory wins NEDO backing for next-generation ZAM memory, partners with Intel

SaiMemory, a next-generation memory developer established by SoftBank, said on April 22 that its development project has been selected for subsidies by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), with the government expected to cover roughly half of the initial development costs

Thursday 23 April 2026
China hands 11.5-year sentence in rare earth, semiconductor data leak case
China is intensifying investigations and enforcement against data leaks in critical sectors across its industrial supply chain, targeting areas such as rare earths, semiconductors, and digital data resources
Thursday 23 April 2026
Volkswagen outlines aggressive EV, AI and capacity reset ahead of Beijing show
Volkswagen's plan to launch 50 electric models by 2030 while cutting global production capacity signals major structural shifts for consumers, suppliers, and markets worldwide. The company is reallocating resources toward rapid localized development, AI-defined vehicles, and software moves that could reshape competition in China while forcing difficult trade-offs across Europe and other regions
Thursday 23 April 2026
Former Samsung Electronics researcher sentenced to 7-year prison term for leaking DRAM trade secrets
A former researcher at Samsung Electronics was sentenced to seven years in prison on April 22 by a South Korean court for leaking core semiconductor trade secrets to a Chinese competitor. The case highlights how chip-making technology is increasingly regarded by governments as a national security asset under strict protection
Thursday 23 April 2026
LG Display approves KRW1.1 trillion OLED infrastructure investment
LG Display approved an investment of KRW1.1 trillion (approx. US$740 million) to build OLED technology infrastructure. The move, running from April 22, 2026, to June 30, 2028, could affect global display supply chains, technology competition, and investment flows in advanced OLED development and will significantly broaden research partnerships worldwide
Thursday 23 April 2026
SK Hynix flags persistent HBM shortage as demand outpaces supply
SK Hynix said demand for high-bandwidth memory is expected to outpace supply for several years, underscoring persistent constraints in the AI memory market even as the company ramps up investment