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Monday 25 August 2025
China tightens rare earth controls with new quota and traceability rules
China has introduced fresh regulatory measures to reinforce state control over its rare earth sector, further cementing its position as the world's dominant supplier of the strategic materials used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and advanced electronics
Monday 25 August 2025
Baidu's Kunlunxin's US$140 million AI chip order from China Mobile fuels face-off with Nvidia
China's push to challenge Nvidia in AI chips is accelerating, with Baidu's Kunlunxin winning a US$140 million order from China Mobile. Alongside Huawei's Ascend processors and Cambricon's rising valuation, these efforts highlight Beijing's drive to build competitive domestic alternatives as US export restrictions tighten on advanced semiconductors
Monday 25 August 2025
South Korean scholars urge closer ASEAN ties to reduce dependence on US and China
South Korean academics are calling for further reforms of the country's New Southern Policy, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, already home to many South Korean enterprises, as US-China rivalry intensifies. This approach, they argue, not only helps reduce economic dependence on China and the US but also positions ASEAN as a natural strategic partner due to its geographic proximity, abundant resources, cultural affinity, and the soft power of the Korean Wave
Sunday 24 August 2025
DeepSeek’s shock fades, leaving China’s AI to face reality
More than six months after DeepSeek's surprise rise shook global markets and challenged US dominance in artificial intelligence, the Chinese startup's trajectory illustrates a shift from hype to deeper industry reassessment, as both China and the US recalibrate strategies in the rapidly evolving AI landscape
Saturday 23 August 2025
Mitsubishi Fuso and Foxconn sign MOU to develop zero-emission buses for global markets

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), a leading name in Japan's commercial vehicle industry, and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), the world's largest electronics manufacturer, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore a strategic collaboration in the field of zero-emission buses. The partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of clean mobility solutions in Japan and global markets

Saturday 23 August 2025
Samsung reportedly clears Nvidia's HBM4 checks as meeting between Jensen Huang and Lee Jae-Yong gains attention
Samsung Electronics' sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), delivered to Nvidia in July 2025, has reportedly cleared reliability testing, positioning it for pre-production by late August. The milestone is viewed as a concrete result of Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong's recent meeting with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
Saturday 23 August 2025
Japan's last semiconductor stronghold slips under Chinese pressure

Japan's power semiconductor sector, once a global stronghold, is losing ground to fast-rising Chinese rivals as stalled consolidation and mounting financial pressures undermine its competitiveness. Talks between Toshiba and Rohm — two of Japan's five leading power semiconductor firms — have stalled, highlighting how fragmentation is preventing Japan from countering China's increasingly aggressive push

Saturday 23 August 2025
Rebellions takes on Nvidia with Saudi expansion, Aramco partnership
South Korean AI chip startup Rebellions has opened a subsidiary in Riyadh, making it the first Korean AI semiconductor company to establish a local unit in Saudi Arabia, according to BusinessKorea and KoreaTechDesk. The expansion highlights Rebellions' push to tap into the Middle East's growing demand for sovereign AI while stepping up its challenge to Nvidia in the global race for artificial intelligence hardware
Saturday 23 August 2025
Micron sells out 2026 HBM supply, SK Hynix and Samsung play catch-up
Micron has struck a confident tone in the race for high-bandwidth memory, announcing that all of its 2026 production has already been committed to customers. Chief Business Officer Sumit Sadana told the KeyBank Technology Leadership Forum in the US that talks with clients had made substantial progress in recent months, ensuring the company's entire output would be sold
Friday 22 August 2025
Geely challenges BYD for the crown in China’s auto market

China's fiercely competitive auto market is entering a new phase of high-stakes rivalry, with two private-sector titans — Geely Automobile and BYD — locked in an increasingly intense battle for dominance

Friday 22 August 2025
China’s AI chip drive eyes 82% autonomy by 2027
China's top provinces are intensifying efforts to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductors, setting aggressive targets to boost self-sufficiency in AI and data center chips
Friday 22 August 2025
Hyundai reportedly deepens push into automotive semiconductors with Samsung, Intel ties

As part of its broader effort to strengthen competitiveness in the next generation of vehicles, Hyundai Motor Group is accelerating its transformation toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs)—a shift that includes not only the development of in-car software platforms but also a strategic move toward in-house automotive semiconductor development

Friday 22 August 2025
SK On and Ford's EV battery joint venture officially begins production in Kentucky
BlueOval SK, an electric vehicle (EV) battery joint venture between SK On and Ford Motor, has announced the commencement of commercial production at its Kentucky 1 facility, according to reports from South Korean media outlets Yonhap and ET News
Friday 22 August 2025
MinebeaMitsumi holds firm at JPY6,200, refuses to raise bid for Shibaura Electronics after Yageo increases offer
Following Yageo's announcement on August 21, 2025, that it has increased its tender offer bid (TOB) for Shibaura Electronics to JPY6,635 (US$44.64) per share, up from JPY6,200, Japanese competitor MinebeaMitsumi declared it will not raise its offer beyond JPY6,200 per share, report Nikkei and Reuters
Friday 22 August 2025
TSMC keeps Japan in focus with 2nd Kumamoto fab set to break ground in 2025
TSMC board member Paul Liu confirmed the chipmaker will break ground on a second fab in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture, in 2025 as scheduled, rejecting speculation that Japan's role in its global expansion is being diminished
Veeam Q3
Intel signals overhaul of IDM 2.0 and foundry strategy with Lip-Bu Tan's appointment, says DIGITIMES