On April 22, the Shanghai municipal government and Toyota officially held a strategic cooperation agreement signing ceremony, announcing that Toyota's wholly-owned Lexus battery electric vehicle (BEV) and battery R&D company will be established in Jinshan District, Shanghai. This signing marks an important step for Toyota's high-end new energy brand layout in China, which will help accelerate the upgrade of the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region

On April 22, Hygon Information Technology, a top Chinese high-performance chipmaker, posted its first-quarter 2025 earnings, surpassing analyst forecasts. Driven by accelerating demand in AI and general-purpose computing, the company saw sharp increases in both revenue and profit, sustained R&D spending, and a dramatic recovery in operating cash flow. A surge in advance orders further underscored rising confidence in China's domestically developed processors

South Korean media outlets have reported that Hanmi Semiconductor has received additional orders for thermo-compression bonding (TCB) equipment from Micron Technology. Some industry sources believe that the tough measures recently taken by Hanmi Semiconductor against SK Hynix are backed by strong support from Micron

As US-China tensions escalate, semiconductors have emerged as a strategic flashpoint. Beijing has tightened oversight of chip origin labeling, with the China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA) and customs authorities jointly classifying products from US firms—such as Analog Devices (ADI), Texas Instruments (TI), and Microchip Technology—as "Made in USA," subjecting them to retaliatory tariffs

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), once shadowed by international concerns over China's overseas expansion, is now entering phase 2.0 amid the intensifying US-China trade war and global supply chain restructuring. Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently made frequent visits to Southeast Asia, with his state visit to Malaysia opening doors for the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) to enter the ASEAN market

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world's biggest producer of batteries for electric vehicles, unveiled the latest versions of its cells, playing up the durability and range of its products as the perceived limits of EVs still stop many consumers from making the switch

As the China International Machine Tool Show (CIMT 2025) commences on April 21 in Beijing, Taiwanese machine tool manufacturers are making a concerted push to secure new orders in the world's largest machine tool market. Following significant challenges caused by increased tariffs imposed by the US, a key export destination, the Taiwanese machine tool industry is redirecting its focus toward China. This shift reflects a strategic reevaluation of global market priorities within the sector

Goertek Inc., headquartered in Shenzhen, published its first-quarter 2025 earnings on April 21, reporting sharp revenue declines both annually and sequentially. Despite this, the company achieved solid profit growth, driven by increased R&D spending and improved financial cost management

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. listed the challenges of ensuring export control compliance by its customers, months after the company's artificial intelligence silicon was found to have flowed to US-sanctioned Huawei Technologies Co. via intermediaries

Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on April 21 to push for more electricity generation to meet artificial intelligence's needs

As US-China tensions over artificial intelligence reach new heights in 2025, the tech conflict has entered a critical stage. The US Commerce Department has launched an export review of Nvidia's H20 AI chip, designed specifically for China, sending shockwaves through the global semiconductor sector. In response, Chinese tech giants are launching an unprecedented AI hiring and training drive, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign innovation and boost homegrown capabilities

With US-China trade tensions escalating, the Trump administration has hiked tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 245%, sharply increasing pressure on Chinese exporters. In contrast, Indian goods entering the US still face a modest 10% tariff during the current grace period. This, combined with deepening US-India ties under the Indo-Pacific strategy, is driving a wave of Chinese companies to shift production to India as they seek localized manufacturing and alternative export bases

As the semiconductor industry shifts toward geographic diversification and manufacturing resilience, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna says Japan-based Rapidus is emerging as a critical player—not just for Japan or IBM, but for the global semiconductor ecosystem at large

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) inaugurated a new Taiwan Trade and Investment Center in Fukuoka on April 21, marking a key step in deepening Taiwan-Japan industrial ties amid growing collaboration spurred by TSMC's flagship chip plant in Kumamoto

JCET Group, China's top OSAT provider, reported record revenue of CNY35.962 billion (US$4.9 billion) for 2024, up 21.24% compared to the previous year. Net income attributable to shareholders rose 9.44% to CNY1.61 billion, while adjusted net profit climbed 17.02% to CNY1.55 billion. Earnings per share increased 9.76% to CNY0.9