On March 29, a Xiaomi SU7 operating in Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) mode crashed on a highway in Anhui Province, killing three college-aged passengers. Despite detecting an obstacle and initiating braking, the vehicle collided with a roadside barrier at 97 km/h. The deadly crash quickly went viral on Chinese social media platforms

Although China's automobile industry has overtaken its competitors on the global stage, the industry itself is suffering from ever-increasing internal competition, with supply chain players pointing to homogeneity as the main culprit

On April 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump unveiled his reciprocal tariff policy, sparking a global stock market rout. Taiwan's stock market, reopening after the Qingming holiday, could not escape the ripple effects, experiencing its steepest one-day decline in recent years. The Taiwan Stock Exchange fell by 2,086.2 points, equating to a 9.8% drop, as investor confidence was shaken by heightened trade tensions

As the trade friction and technology war between China and the US continue to intensify, on April 5, 2025, China announced an antitrust investigation into American chemical giant DuPont. Not only is it rare for China to target foreign players in the chemical sector, but this action is also seen as Beijing's response to the recent increase in tariffs and export controls imposed by the US

Nvidia's H20 chip—originally designed for the Chinese market to comply with US export rules—has unexpectedly surged in demand. A spike in AI infrastructure projects, spearheaded by DeepSeek and fueled by major Chinese tech firms, has rendered the chip increasingly scarce

China's incentive program to boost consumption has triggered TV replacement demand starting in the second half of 2024. Although overall demand has slowed recently, the ultra large TV segment still sees significant momentum, with shipments possibly reaching 10 million units in 2025

Television brands started pulling in LCD panel orders in the fourth quarter of 2024 to get ahead of US tariffs under Donald Trump's trade policies and to benefit from China's appliance trade-in program. The frontloading continued into early 2025, making the first quarter unusually strong for what's typically a slow season

SiCarrier, once a little-known name in China's chip sector, has jolted the semiconductor industry with bold claims of breakthroughs in photolithography—a field long ruled by global leaders like ASML. At SEMICON China, the company touted five major platforms and pitched its technology as rivaling top-tier international equipment, positioning itself as a new force in China's drive for chipmaking self-sufficiency

Apple CEO Tim Cook committed to bringing manufacturing back to the US with a US$500 billion investment. Yet, this move seemingly failed to earn Apple any exemption from tariffs. On April 2, US President Donald Trump imposed high tariffs ranging from 26% to 54% on China, India, and Vietnam, all major Apple production bases

In late March 2025, Kumamoto Prefecture unveiled the Kumamoto Science Park Promotion Vision, a plan to build a semiconductor-centered science park alongside a broader innovation ecosystem. The initiative seeks to establish a public-private industrial base that promotes collaboration among semiconductor companies, research institutions, and advanced tech firms

The US has intensified tariffs on Chinese lithium battery materials, beginning with the Inflation Reduction Act under the Biden administration and continuing with President Trump's reciprocal tariffs. With combined tax rates now exceeding 80% for Chinese exports to the US, the global supply chain landscape is shifting dramatically

TCL has finalized its acquisition of LG Display's LCD manufacturing plant in Guangzhou, China, officially renaming it "T11" under the management of its subsidiary, TCL China Star Optoelectronics (TCL CSOT). Production at the facility is already underway, strengthening TCL's position in the global display market

The Sino-US trade war has accelerated global competition in compound semiconductors, with Chinese manufacturers now aggressively targeting price reductions in silicon carbide (SiC) substrates. According to industry reports, mainland Chinese producers aim to slash 8-inch SiC substrate prices by half by 2025, potentially dropping to around US$700 per piece from the current US$1,500

The US is the world's largest economy, and following Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025, there have been significant changes across various policies, including trade, domestic affairs, foreign relations, and research funding. Even during Joe Biden's administration, Taiwanese companies were compelled to take sides due to the US's efforts to contain China's technological development. The proportion of Taiwan's investment in China has dropped from 83.8% in 2010 to just 8% by 2024, with little chance of reversal in the coming years

Just when the global supply chain thought it had a breather, US President Donald Trump's administration is stoking renewed tensions with China by threatening sweeping new tariffs. Beijing has retaliated with equal force, rolling out a 34% "reciprocal tariff" package. Strategic sectors—including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals—may soon be in the crosshairs