China's rare-earth concentrate prices remain nearly 50% above year-earlier levels despite a marginal fourth-quarter increase, underscoring persistent raw material cost pressures even as downstream buyers resist higher prices.

Tun Green Power partnered with Foxconn, Billion Watts, NoonSpare Energy Technology, and Rich Electric to develop behind-the-meter energy storage systems (ESS) using Taiwan-made lithium battery cells. The companies signed a cooperation agreement in Taiwan on October 12, 2026, targeting mass production and deliveries in the first half of 2027, with a deployment goal of 100 megawatt-hours (MWh) as corporate customers seek more options for localized storage equipment.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are expected to see a sharp increase in NAND flash profits in 2026 as surging demand for enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs) drives up memory prices and improves profitability, adding another earnings boost beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM).

As the push toward smarter vehicle systems and full electrification intensifies alongside China's strengthening position in the EV market, these trends are increasingly prompting overseas automakers to enter a new phase of operational restructuring.

China's leading artificial intelligence companies are gaining users and global recognition, but their commercial returns remain far behind those of US rivals. The growing disparity raises a question for China's AI industry: can low-cost, open-weight models generate sustainable profits, or will the greatest financial rewards flow to the platforms distributing them?

Samsung Electronics plans to pay its semiconductor employees special bonuses entirely in company shares in late March or early April 2027, with two-thirds of the stock subject to selling restrictions for up to two years. The payments, funded by 10.5% of the chip division's operating profit, remain subject to shareholder approval.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's strong chip project are accelerating the domestic replacement of semiconductor equipment and materials amid intensifying US-China competition. Xiamen-based Jinai Tech, which integrates resources from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, is leveraging plasma, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD) technologies to enter the advanced process equipment market, with its pilot production line scheduled to begin operations in mid-2027.

Driven by robust demand for AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and cloud data services, Taiwan's information and communications technology (ICT) production momentum has soared for three consecutive years. Meanwhile, mounting US and global debt levels are driving up real financing costs and tightening international financial conditions.

As geothermal energy prepares to enter Taiwan's semiconductor renewable electricity market, the most immediate question is how much each kilowatt-hour (kWh) will cost compared with solar, wind, and conventional power generation.

China proposed tighter vehicle design and safety requirements that would restrict fully hidden door handles, virtual controls for critical functions and several interior features in new vehicles. The draft rules, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other government departments, are intended to reduce safety risks associated with rapidly developed vehicle models and would affect automakers seeking approvals in China.

The European Union plans to cap imports of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) at 350,000 units per year, with safeguard measures potentially taking effect as early as December 1, 2026. The four-year framework sets a 350,000-unit limit in its first year, followed by a 6% annual quota expansion starting in the second year, while both sides commit to complying with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

China's Moonshot AI is seeking to settle a shareholder dispute involving claims potentially exceeding US$700 million ahead of a potential US$5 billion Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO). Allegations concerning asset transfers and corporate governance could complicate the AI startup's listing preparations.

South Korean wireless communications module maker Nucode has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with US drone identification and airspace intelligence provider Zing Drone Solutions to develop and supply electronic component modules for ultra-small and small-scale solutions. Nucode's NU87 module, which uses a Realtek chip, is among the products submitted for evaluation.

As US defense procurement restrictions and European Union (EU) supply-chain due diligence requirements advance, South Korean risk-intelligence startup Helios is targeting verification needs in Taiwan and South Korea's AI, semiconductor, and defense industries. The company plans to bring public-information analysis and on-site verification services to Taiwan while strengthening maritime-threat analysis around the Taiwan Strait for corporate and national-security applications.