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Thursday 2 April 2026
Deep dive: Huawei 2025 annual report reveals why its AI strategy starts with infrastructure

As the global AI race accelerates, Huawei's 2025 annual report leaves little ambiguity: AI now sits at the core of its strategy. The 147-page filing references "AI" 421 times, an unusually explicit signal of strategic depth. The company is pursuing a "foundation first, expansion later" model, pairing heavy R&D with infrastructure buildout to scale its AI position

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Thursday 2 April 2026
South Korea exports hit record US$86bn, chip demand drives breakout above US$80bn
South Korea's exports climbed to a record US$86.1 billion in March 2026, marking the first time monthly shipments have exceeded the US$80 billion threshold, even as the Middle East conflict disrupted logistics and energy flows. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), the figure was up 48.3% year on year, extending a 10-month run of record monthly exports and lifting the country's trade surplus to US$25.7 billion — its 14th straight month in the black
Thursday 2 April 2026
Asahi Kasei enters AI chip fiberglass market to challenge Nittobo's dominance
Japan's Asahi Kasei has announced its official entry into the AI chip supply chain with fiberglass cloth as an insulating substrate material, targeting the current global leader Nittobo, which holds a 90% market share. Meanwhile, Nippon Electric Glass (NEG) also plans to invest in AI-specific fiberglass cloth, signaling accelerated competition among Japanese materials makers for semiconductor opportunities
Thursday 2 April 2026
South Korea's market volatility hands Taiwan a rare edge in AI
During a lecture hosted by the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC), DIGITIMES Chairman Colley Hwang analyzed the East Asian industrial landscape. While headlines often focus on the chip wars between the US and China, Hwang shed light on a quieter, more structural divergence: the widening "resilience gap" between Taiwan and South Korea, as manifested through the lens of currency
Thursday 2 April 2026
Chinese companies capture nearly 41% of domestic AI accelerator server market
China's AI accelerator server market is gradually shifting away from using Nvidia chips to domestic GPU and AI chip makers, with Chinese companies capturing almost 41% of the market last year, according to an IDC report
Thursday 2 April 2026
Denso targets US$54 billion revenue, Rohm deal faces Toshiba-Mitsubishi alliance hurdle
Japan's auto parts supplier Denso on March 31 unveiled a mid-term business plan through March 2031, targeting revenue of JPY8 trillion (approx. US$54 billion) and a return on equity (ROE) of 11%. The strategy underscores a shift toward semiconductors as a core growth driver, alongside vehicle electrification and intelligent systems, signaling ambitions beyond its traditional role as an automotive supplier
Thursday 2 April 2026
Kioxia sets cutoff for legacy NAND, phases out SLC and MLC lines by 2026
Japan-based NAND flash maker Kioxia has formally issued an end-of-life (EOL) notice for a wide range of legacy NAND products, underscoring an industry-wide shift toward advanced 3D architectures and tighter capacity allocation
Thursday 2 April 2026
China plans display sector consolidation; panel prices seen stabilizing, equipment orders at risk
China is reportedly drafting a consolidation plan for its display industry, with BOE Technology positioned for small- and mid-sized OLED and TCL China Star (CSOT) for large-size LCD, while smaller panel makers face potential mergers or exits
Wednesday 1 April 2026
Samsung auctions 123 chip tools during Xi'an NAND upgrade to V8
Samsung Electronics is reportedly overhauling its production lines, offering 123 idle semiconductor tools for sale across South Korea and Xi'an as it shifts to more advanced process technologies
Wednesday 1 April 2026
Fujitsu plans 1.4nm AI chip Japan-based production with Rapidus
Fujitsu plans to develop a 1.4nm artificial intelligence (AI) chip and outsource its production to Rapidus in Japan, according to Nikkei. The chip is designed for use in servers and related systems, with a focus on low power consumption and domestic manufacturing
Wednesday 1 April 2026
Sharp names Kawamura as CEO, shifts to growth after restructuring

Sharp has named Tetsuji Kawamura as its president and chief executive officer, effective April 1, marking a shift from restructuring to growth as the company looks to expand its global brand alongside parent Foxconn Technology Group

Wednesday 1 April 2026
AMEC acquires Sizone to expand CMP capabilities, outlines 2026 strategy
Chinese semiconductor equipment maker Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) announced on March 30, 2026, plans to acquire a stake in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) equipment firm Sizone through a combination of share issuance and cash. This move could mark AMEC's entry into the wet process segment, an area where it previously had limited presence
Wednesday 1 April 2026
Japan Display sells Tottori Fab, citing asset efficiency and continuing AutoTech work at a new site
Japan Display Inc. (JDI) signed a definitive agreement to sell its Tottori Fab to Yahata Touei Estate K.K., with handover scheduled for September 30, 2026; JDI said the transaction follows its March 2025 production halt and forms part of structural reforms that could influence global automotive display supply and the Japanese manufacturing consolidation industry
Wednesday 1 April 2026
South Korean chipmakers stockpile helium, diversify supply beyond Qatar
South Korean semiconductor manufacturers hold enough helium inventory to sustain production through at least June, easing concerns over potential supply disruptions, according to government and industry sources
Wednesday 1 April 2026
Huawei revenue hits US$122bn in 2025, nears peak as AI growth becomes key test

Huawei reported 2025 revenue of CNY880.9 billion, up 2.2% year-over-year, its second-highest on record, with net profit rising 8.63% to CNY68 billion (approx. US$9.87 billion). Growth slowed sharply from 22.4% in 2024, leaving revenue just below its 2020 peak of CNY891.4 billion and raising the bar for further expansion, analysts cited by Chinastarmarket.cn said

Wednesday 1 April 2026
Analysis: In Japan's EV race, aggression costs Honda while Nissan learns to adapt

A year ago, the Japanese automotive world watched Honda, the financially robust "second brother," attempt to assert dominance over its smaller sibling Nissan. The high-stakes negotiations, marked by a glaring imbalance of power, ended abruptly and bitterly