Multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) prices for AI servers have continued to climb, while prices for general-purpose components used in consumer appliances have dropped sharply. The split in the market has opened more room for Chinese suppliers in midrange and general-purpose categories as major manufacturers shift capacity toward higher-value products.
DeepSeek is bringing more of the software used to develop its AI models to Huawei Technologies' Ascend 950 processors, deepening cooperation as Chinese technology companies seek to reduce reliance on Nvidia's hardware and CUDA software ecosystem.
A new partnership between Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and NIO in electric vehicle (EV) battery swapping is signaling potential consolidation in China's fragmented market. With multiple incompatible systems still competing for adoption, the deal could open a new path toward greater standardization and network integration.
China's largest dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is accelerating a CNY34.9 billion (US$5.2 billion) expansion aimed at chipmaking equipment, in-house testing and tighter control of its memory supply chain.
The Washington summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping did not produce the speculated auto deal that would have allowed Chinese automakers to manufacture vehicles in the US. While that gave incumbent automakers in the US a temporary reprieve, analysts say Chinese cars entering the US is still only a matter of time.
With the conclusion of the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, held in Washington, DC, from September 23 to 25, attention has turned to how changes in the US-China relationship will affect geopolitics, trade measures, and industrial export controls.
Samsung Electronics expects high-performance computing (HPC) to account for 66% of its foundry business by 2029, up from 28% currently, as the company shifts its contract chipmaking portfolio beyond mobile products toward AI and HPC.
Japanese motor maker Nidec has replaced president and CEO Mitsuya Kishida with chief technology officer Michio Kaida as the company moves to overhaul its business and governance following accounting irregularities and mounting losses.
US rare-earth magnet startup Vulcan Elements has reportedly won a supply contract for the US Army's SkyFoundry drone program, underscoring Washington's push to localize drone production and reduce reliance on China's rare-earth supply chain. Vulcan will produce high-performance neodymium-iron-boron magnets for the brushless DC motors used in small drones.
TDK and Taiyo Yuden have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin discussions on a business alliance to develop electronic components, including MLCCs and inductors jointly, the two Japanese companies announced on September 29, 2026. The talks will also cover cooperation in manufacturing and procurement, and the companies will consider a future capital alliance.
Energy, AI robotics, and autonomous vehicle maker Tesla is reportedly replicating its electric vehicle (EV) playbook by turning to Chinese manufacturing to support the supply chain ramp-up for its Optimus humanoid robot. In addition to conducting factory audits at three auto parts manufacturers in East China, a Tesla delegation also inspected related suppliers in cities such as Hangzhou and Shanghai.
China's push into 3D DRAM is moving from early-stage research into wafer processes and equipment, with efforts spanning the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMECAS), the Beijing Superstring Memory Research Institute (SAMT), CXMT, and equipment maker NAURA Technology Group. The coordinated advance highlights both the momentum behind 3D DRAM and the technical hurdles still blocking mass production.
Samsung Electronics is reshaping its next-generation dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) roadmap, elevating its B1b wafer-to-wafer (W2W) hybrid bonding technology from a project-specific development to the core technology behind D0a, its first sub-10nm DRAM generation. Industry observers believe Samsung's push to commercialize B1b DRAM earlier could also benefit its next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) products, including HBM5.
RoboTechnik completed a Hong Kong listing on September 29 and began trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, according to its German photonics automation subsidiary ficonTEC. The new capital will be used for further investment in ficonTEC, which is expanding its role in silicon photonics and optical interconnect manufacturing for AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.
