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Tuesday 4 November 2025
China localizes network infrastructure chips; Taiwanese IC design houses turn to the West

China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency has extended to networking infrastructure, with Taiwanese IC design firms Realtek Semiconductor and RichWave Technology noting that Beijing's localization of network infrastructure chips is accelerating rapidly

Tuesday 4 November 2025
Samsung SDI reportedly in talks with Tesla for US-based energy storage batteries
Samsung SDI is reportedly negotiating with Tesla to supply batteries for energy storage systems, aiming to leverage rising demand from AI data centers and renewable energy projects in North America
Tuesday 4 November 2025
Intel veteran takes helm at Hua Hong to drive 'China for China' strategy
Amid intensifying competition in China's foundry sector, Hua Hong Semiconductor announced a leadership overhaul on October 31, 2025, naming 62-year-old Dr. Peng Bai as chairman and head of the Nomination Committee while retaining his roles as president and executive director
Tuesday 4 November 2025
Chinese PCB firms quietly advance next-gen CoWoP packaging
A significant divergence emerged as Taiwan and China concluded their major PCB industry exhibitions in late October 2025. While Taiwanese manufacturers focused on supply bottlenecks for copper-clad laminates (CCL) amid surging AI demand, Chinese firms shifted attention to their own PCB technologies for cloud and edge AI. They also revealed early work on a next-generation packaging breakthrough known as CoWoP
Tuesday 4 November 2025
China's Beidou satellites power a new era of homegrown navigation chips

As China completes the global deployment of its BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System, officials are now focused on exporting the technology under Beijing's "Belt and Road" initiative, signaling a shift from building the constellation to driving widespread international adoption. The move also opens a new frontier for China's navigation chipmakers, which see rising opportunities to challenge Western dominance in positioning and timing technologies

Tuesday 4 November 2025
Nvidia Blackwell chips expose policy-corporate divide on China exports
During an interview aboard Air Force One on November 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump stated that only US customers should have access to Nvidia's advanced Blackwell AI chips. According to Reuters, these new chips are ten years ahead of their competitors, positioning the US ahead of the game. On the flip side of Trump's intentions to gatekeep valuable technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is encouraging cooperation because it serves everyone's best interests
Monday 3 November 2025
China's AI app users hit 700 million as most native apps lose ground
China's artificial intelligence (AI) mobile app sector has surpassed 700 million monthly active users (MAUs), yet a majority of AI-native apps are facing significant user losses, according to data from QuestMobile cited by the South China Morning Post. As of September 2024, AI-native apps—those built with AI at the core—and in-app services, which provide intelligent AI features, combined reached 729 million MAUs, increasing by nearly 50 million since June 2024. Despite this growth, nearly 60% of native AI apps saw user decline in the third quarter of 2024
Monday 3 November 2025
China's Big Fund III invests in Nantong Crystal to boost semiconductor materials supply chain
As China's 15th Five-Year Plan approaches, Big Fund III is accelerating its investments in core semiconductor materials and equipment sectors
Monday 3 November 2025
Humanoid robots and AI drive smart factory transformation in auto industry
With the electric vehicle market approaching maturity and growth momentum slowing, automakers are turning to artificial intelligence and robotics as the "second curve" of manufacturing transformation
Monday 3 November 2025
Samsung challenges Chrome dominance with new PC browser launch
Samsung Electronics has officially launched its new PC web browser, Samsung Internet PC, marking a major step in its effort to extend its mobile ecosystem to desktop platforms. The company said the browser aims to deliver a more personalized and connected user experience, with plans to evolve into an AI-powered browser in future updates
Monday 3 November 2025
In South Korea's 'Silicon Valley,' AI startups look beyond software
Just south of Seoul, a dense grid of R&D towers known as Pangyo Techno Valley has evolved from an industrial cluster into a crucial testbed for South Korea's artificial intelligence ambitions
Monday 3 November 2025
Nexperia China accuses Dutch parent of US$140 million debt
The Chinese arm of Dutch semiconductor maker Nexperia has publicly accused its headquarters of owing more than CNY1 billion (approximately US$140 million) in unpaid fees, escalating an already fraught dispute between the two sides over control and supply-chain operations
Monday 3 November 2025
Japan's materials makers scale up for 2nm chip era
As TSMC and Samsung Electronics move closer to mass production of 2nm chips, Japan's semiconductor materials makers are accelerating investments to strengthen their global supply chain presence and meet surging demand for advanced materials
Monday 3 November 2025
Taiwan manufacturing set to gain as traditional and electronics sectors strengthen
The recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has eased tensions between the two countries, de-escalating rare earth export controls and soybean trade barriers. It remains uncertain whether Trump will come up with other threats when dealing with China. But for Taiwan, the speculation about the US sacrificing the island nation in return for better ties with China has not materialized. Neither has the US taken concrete steps to impose semiconductor tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Taiwan's manufacturing sector may gain momentum over the next two months if geopolitical and economic conditions remain stable
Monday 3 November 2025
Xi gifts Lee Xiaomi phones, sparks backdoor security exchange at APEC
At a recent summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, the leaders exchanged carefully chosen gifts and engaged in an unexpected dialogue that captured industry and public attention. The interaction, held on November 1, 2025, at the Gyeongju National Museum, highlighted both diplomatic symbolism and technological cooperation amid ongoing geopolitical sensitivities