In April 2024, Jensen Huang participated in a critical gathering at a five-star hotel in Beijing, which would determine whether Nvidia could continue its operations in the Chinese market. Known as the "AI godfather," the Silicon Valley legend now finds himself at a geopolitical crossroads. Looking back over the past 30 years, his story in China unfolds like a trilogy intertwining business, politics, ideals, and reality

China's export restrictions on rare earth minerals have raised concerns within the automotive industries of Europe and Japan while also prompting heightened vigilance in Taiwan's electric vehicle supply chain

Following US President Donald Trump's executive orders implementing reciprocal tariff measures, the China-US trade war has escalated rapidly. China's response now extends beyond traditional trade items to impact the civil aviation industry, showing a more forceful stance than in previous disputes

Following the Trump administration's regulation of Nvidia's China-specific H20 chips, Cambricon Technologies—billed as China's first domestic AI chip stock—delivered standout results. In the first quarter of 2025, Cambricon reported revenue of CNY1.111 billion (approx. US$152.2 million), a 4,230% year-over-year surge. First-quarter revenue nearly matched its entire 2024 total of CNY1.174 billion

Tokyo Electron (TEL), Japan's leading semiconductor equipment maker, opened a cutting-edge research and development facility at its Taiwa-cho campus in Miyagi Prefecture on April 24, 2025. The new facility is expected to triple production speeds, positioning TEL to meet the rapidly increasing global demand for semiconductor equipment while strengthening its competitive edge against rising Chinese rivals

Pegatron Corporation has officially launched its new smart factory in Batam, Indonesia. This facility marks a key step in Pegatron's advanced manufacturing strategy and will serve as a flagship location for its 5G business

India has been actively seeking to attract Tesla, but the company remains cautious. Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja noted in a recent earnings call that while there's interest in expanding into India, the timing is still being carefully evaluated. In light of US-China tariff disputes, Tesla's potential entry into the Indian market has taken on geopolitical significance

These are the top-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of April 21 – April 27

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), jointly established through contracts signed by Malaysia's Johor state and Singapore, has recently become a focal point for the entire Southeast Asian supply chain. This week, the JS-SEZ Business and Investment Forum was held in Johor Bahru, where stakeholders exchanged views on the future development of the economic zone

Apple Inc. is seeking to import most of the iPhones it sells in the US from India by the end of next year, accelerating a shift beyond China to mitigate risks related to tariffs and geopolitical tensions

As US President Donald Trump mounts tariffs against exporters, India's EMS players are benefiting due to the relatively lower duties on Indian goods

Tan Aik-Hoon, Avnet's South Asia & Korea President, highlighted the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone's potential to boost regional economic development through complementary resources and expertise. Success may prompt Singapore to replicate this model across ASEAN, strengthening economic ties and global supply chain roles. This strategy leverages Singapore's tech innovation and Johor's manufacturing capacity to attract investments and enhance regional competitiveness

Taiwanese software and IT service providers are expanding across Southeast Asia as manufacturers relocate operations from China, creating new regional opportunities in the shifting global supply chain landscape