Taiwan’s glass fiber exports to South Korea rose 54.0% year-over-year in the first nine months of 2026 as demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced packaging expanded. South Korea has also become Taiwan’s largest trade deficit partner, with Taiwan’s deficit reaching US$59.37 billion in the first 10 months of 2026, more than double its US$25.39 billion deficit with Japan.

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) announced on November 10 that it will expand manufacturing and shipment-inspection equipment at its Thailand subsidiary to increase capacity for BT (Bismaleimide-Triazine) laminates used in semiconductor packaging. The new line is scheduled to begin construction in April 2027 and start operations in October 2028, targeting growing demand from data centers, servers and high-density IC substrates.

China is advancing its domestic semiconductor ambitions while continuing to access restricted US AI processors, exposing the limits of Washington's export controls and the challenges facing Beijing's pursuit of technological self-sufficiency.

Samsung Display, BOE Technology Group, and Tianma Microelectronics are considering lower-cost OLED panels for entry-level smartphones as falling handset sales put pressure on display manufacturers to improve factory utilization, ZDNet Korea reported on November 9, citing industry sources.

Apple and Samsung Electronics are working with suppliers on a new foldable glass design that could improve screen durability while maintaining flexibility, with potential adoption targeted for 2028 smartphones, ZDNet Korea reported, citing industry sources.

TECO Electric & Machinery is expanding into global AI computing infrastructure, announcing on the November 11 that it will partner with AI cloud service provider GMI Cloud and KSDI to build an modular AI data center in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. TECO will serve as the modular data center contractor, handling design, electromechanical systems integration, and technical guidance, with the first 6.4MW phase scheduled for delivery within nine months.

Demand for AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and semiconductors continued to rise, driving Wah Lee Industrial's 3Q26 profit to record-high levels. Gross profit reached NT$2.06 billion (US$62.7 million), up 28.7% year-on-year, while earnings per share (EPS) reached NT$3.46; cumulative EPS for the first three quarters rose to NT$9.4, also a record for the period.

Samsung Electronics and AMD are teaming up to upgrade the Korean chipmaker's semiconductor manufacturing test infrastructure, combining AMD's new EPYC Embedded 9006 processors with Samsung memory and storage technologies, according to AMD's November 10 announcement.

Mitsui Kinzoku will invest about JPY190 billion (approx. US$1.2 billion) to build a copper foil plant near its existing Malaysia site, targeting demand from optical communications components and advanced chips used in AI data centers. The facility will begin phased operations from April 2031.

Satellite communications company Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI) reported negative net worth of NT$244 million (US$7.42 million), a 109% debt ratio, and a 65% current ratio for the third quarter of 2026, as 5G open radio access network (Open RAN) and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite businesses failed to develop as expected. With approval from the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), MTI suspended stock trading on November 9 and is pursuing a private placement to raise capital and improve its financial structure.

SoftBank Group (SBG) posted a JPY768 billion (approximately US$4.85 billion) net loss for the first half of fiscal 2026, from April to September 2026, its first loss in nearly two years after booking a US$3.7 billion impairment on a US data-center project and absorbing the impact of falling global AI valuations.

China’s HKC has again stalled its OLED expansion, with equipment orders for its Gen 6 OLED line in Mianyang, Sichuan, yet to be placed despite plans for deposition equipment to arrive in March 2027. Industry sources attribute the delay to weak OLED demand and technology challenges, warning that the investment could ultimately be canceled.

The fourth K.T. Li Award ceremony was held at the Far Eastern Shangri-La in Taipei on November 10, with former President Ing-wen Tsai delivering remarks and presenting the awards. Quanta Computer founder and chairman Barry Lam and Kinpo-Compal Group president Rock Hsu jointly received this year's honor for their long-standing contributions to industry, corporate innovation, Taiwan's technology growth, and international competitiveness.

Kia is considering investing about US$1.5 billion to expand its plant in Andhra Pradesh, India, while South Korean auto-parts makers have pledged follow-on investments. If approved, the project would establish an integrated vehicle manufacturing and parts-supply chain in the state.

The National Science and Technology Council's Department of Engineering and Technologies recently issued a call for proposals encouraging academia to modify expensive semiconductor equipment through design changes, creating new pathways for talent development and next-generation technology research. Such freedom and flexibility are difficult to achieve at commercial semiconductor companies, but universities have greater autonomy, face no immediate customer delivery pressure, and do not need to prioritize yield at once—allowing a hot-rodding approach to take root in teaching and research.