CONNECT WITH US
LATEST STORIES
Monday 13 July 2026
China's 2030 target for 30% NEV adoption raises the stakes for foreign automakers

China is tying its climate agenda more closely to industrial policy. The State Council's newly released Action Plan for Carbon Peaking in the 15th Five-Year Plan sets ambitious targets that could further accelerate domestic new energy vehicle (NEV) adoption while intensifying pressure on foreign automakers.

Monday 13 July 2026
Tencent seeks control of Manus after China blocks Meta's US$2 billion AI deal

Tencent is in talks to become the largest shareholder in Manus, leading a proposed buyback of the AI agent startup after Chinese regulators ordered Meta Platforms to unwind its US$2 billion acquisition.

Monday 13 July 2026
MiniMax bets US$2 billion on AI infrastructure as lock-up selloff deepens its split with Z.ai
Chinese artificial-intelligence developer MiniMax is raising HK$16 billion (approx. US$2.04 billion) through a share placement and convertible bonds to accelerate spending on AI infrastructure and large-model development, pressing ahead with its most capital-intensive phase even as its Hong Kong-listed stock slides and a lock-up expiry unleashes fresh selling. The move underscores how far MiniMax's fortunes have diverged from those of rival Zhipu, the other big Chinese AI name to list in Hong Kong this year.
Monday 13 July 2026
Samsung targets 2029 Yongin fab opening as infrastructure timetable tightens
Samsung Electronics plans to begin operations at its first Yongin fab in 2029, one to two years ahead of the original schedule, increasing pressure on South Korea to accelerate the power, water and site development needed to support the expansion.
Monday 13 July 2026
Huawei reportedly backs 12-inch DRAM fab to reduce memory dependence

Huawei is reportedly partnering with Chinese DRAM maker Shenzhen Shengweixu Technology (SwaySure) and the Chinese government to build a state-backed 12-inch memory fabrication plant in Shenzhen, a move aimed at easing DRAM shortages while reducing reliance on overseas suppliers amid continued US export controls.

Monday 13 July 2026
Exclusive: China's notebook ODMs are closing in fast on Taiwan's manufacturing crown

Notebook ODMs enjoyed stronger-than-seasonal demand in the first half of 2026, but the traditional peak season is losing momentum. Shipments are expected to decline sequentially from the third quarter, while component suppliers increasingly view 2026 as a turning point in the global notebook supply chain.

Monday 13 July 2026
China's Nvidia H200 pivot reveals why CUDA still rules AI

China is preparing to allow a limited number of Nvidia H200 AI accelerators into the country, giving Alibaba, ByteDance, and DeepSeek access to advanced computing power while preserving Beijing's broader campaign for semiconductor self-reliance.

Monday 13 July 2026
Taiwan's Jiin Ming joins Japan-Ukraine Drone Cluster talks on drone systems
Taiwanese drone manufacturer Jiin Ming Industry attended the launch press conference for the Japan-Ukraine Drone Cluster (JUDC) at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) in Tokyo. This marks the company's latest step in expanding its international footprint following its entry into the European market.
Sunday 12 July 2026
InP supply crunch leaves South Korea exposed
Coherent has agreed to prepay AXT US$22.3 million under a three-year agreement for committed 6-inch indium phosphide substrate capacity, showing how buyers are moving to reserve future supply as AI data center investment strains a concentrated photonics materials market.
Sunday 12 July 2026
South Korean startup CSO eyes global Earth observation market as optical payload heads for orbit
South Korean space optics startup CSO is preparing to launch its high-resolution optical payload aboard DaejeonSat, a domestically developed CubeSat scheduled to lift off on South Korea's Nuri launch vehicle in the second half of 2026. The mission is expected to serve as a key in-orbit validation milestone as the company expands beyond its Kazakhstan Satellite Constellation program into the European and North American Earth observation markets.
Saturday 11 July 2026
Samsung, SK Hynix margins seen near Micron's 80% level as memory prices surge

Global memory chipmakers are heading toward record revenue and profit in the second quarter of 2026, as AI infrastructure demand keeps memory prices high and pushes operating margins to levels rarely seen in the semiconductor industry.

Saturday 11 July 2026
Samsung's CXL 3.1 memory delay lays bare Intel, AMD server platform lag

Samsung Electronics has postponed mass production of its CXL 3.1 memory modules after delays to next-generation server processors from Intel and AMD pushed back the broader PCIe 6.0 ecosystem, highlighting how AI infrastructure adoption increasingly depends on platform readiness rather than individual components.

Saturday 11 July 2026
China's display makers raise billions to close the OLED gap — and South Korea is watching
Chinese display panel and materials companies are tapping capital markets to fund next-generation OLED, oxide and Mini LED technologies, drawing close attention from South Korea's display industry.
Saturday 11 July 2026
Mobilint touts NPU for physical AI, with CEO urging South Korea to accelerate development
South Korean AI semiconductor startup Mobilint is gaining traction in physical AI with its neural processing units (NPU) for edge devices, as the AI boom spreads from cloud computing into robots, autonomous vehicles and drones. Mobilint CEO Shin Dong-joo (transliterated from Korean) and other industry figures say the next two to three years will be a crucial window for South Korea to capture the physical AI market through NPU technology.
Friday 10 July 2026
China's temporary helium export ban signals fears of a prolonged Middle East supply squeeze
China moved on July 10 to wall off its domestic supply of helium, a gas with no substitute in chipmaking and medical imaging, in a step that suggests Beijing does not expect Middle East supply risks to ease quickly — and one that could tighten an already strained global market.