US President Donald Trump's first-term restrictions on silicon carbide (SiC), intended to limit China's access to the crucial third-generation semiconductor material under national security concerns, have had an unintended effect: catalyzing unprecedented growth in China's domestic SiC industry. By the start of Trump's second term in 2025, Chinese manufacturers had developed capabilities that could fundamentally alter the global SiC landscape
Two of China's largest state-owned automotive enterprises have announced plans for a strategic reorganization. Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Changan Automobile (Changan), both under the China South Industries Group Corporation, are preparing for what would become the first significant consolidation among Chinese car manufacturers in 2025, attracting significant market attention
Apple is partnering with Alibaba Group to introduce artificial intelligence features in China, strengthening its position in a crucial market where it has struggled to establish a strong AI presence
Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest flagship, the Galaxy S25, on February 10, with pre-order pickups for retailers starting on February 11. According to Jacob Chen, GM of Samsung Taiwan's Mobile Communications Division, pre-orders for the S25 series in 2025 have recorded double-digit growth compared to the S24 series in 2024, underscoring strong market demand
Despite a surge in sales, SMIC is still facing a decline in profit due to increasing competition from other Chinese foundries. Additionally, the company remains committed to supporting high-end chip manufacturing, even though it is likely to yield low returns. The fourth quarter, typically an off-season period, has further contributed to lower utilization rates and a decrease in wafer production
China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is emerging as a formidable player in the global DRAM market, potentially challenging Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix's market dominance. This development bears striking similarities to South Korea's disruption of Japan's memory industry decades ago
South Korean memory maker SK Hynix saw its exports of multi-chip packages (MCP) fall by nearly 30% sequentially in January 2025. At the same time, some analysts believe that after two years of rapid growth, high-bandwidth memory (HBM) is becoming more sensitive to seasonal demand changes
Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump took an aggressive stance against electric vehicles (EVs) and wind power, while the European Union (EU) and automakers remain locked in a tug-of-war over carbon emission penalties. In stark contrast, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) market continues to expand, bolstered by strong government support
With the start of the Trump 2.0 administration, the global PCB industry is preparing for changes, especially in Southeast Asia's competitive environment. China's PCB sector is expected to grow rapidly in 2024, reflecting a wider investment trend in Thailand. This situation offers challenges and opportunities for Taiwanese manufacturers
TSMC has notified several Chinese IC design companies that their chips at 16/14 nanometers or smaller nodes lack "approved OSAT" status on the US BIS whitelist and proper certification signatures from packaging facilities, leading to suspended shipments
Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors is planning to build a new pickup truck assembly plant in the US by 2027 that will produce electric vehicles (EV) and gas-powered cars
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has captured global attention in recent weeks with its R1 inference model, which the company claims matches OpenAI's o1 model in performance while requiring significantly lower development costs. This breakthrough has resonated throughout the AI industry, particularly for its potential to reduce both development and operational expenses for businesses
Since February 1, 2025, 16 Chinese AI chip manufacturers have announced support for or launched services based on the DeepSeek model. This development raises questions about the impact on the Chinese market and the evolving competition between Nvidia and local AI chip manufacturers
China faces mounting economic challenges as unpaid wages emerge as a significant social issue, particularly affecting workers in the construction and manufacturing sectors. These industries, once pillars of China's economic growth, now struggle with delayed salary payments due to a broader economic downturn and industrial overcapacity. The situation threatens to intensify labor disputes, especially during holiday periods
