Huawei is reportedly set to begin mass shipments of its next-gen AI chip, the Ascend 910C, as early as May 2025. Positioned as China's homegrown rival to Nvidia's H100, the chip is gaining traction as a go-to option for domestic AI developers amid intensifying US export restrictions
Horse Powertrain, the joint venture between Renault and China's Geely Group, will debut its Future Hybrid powertrain concept at Auto Shanghai 2025. Vehicles featuring the system are slated to launch in 2028
Amid escalating US-China trade tensions and Washington's push for "reciprocal tariffs," Chinese exporters are facing unprecedented strain. Canceled orders, rising costs, and growing policy uncertainty have shaken once-stable overseas markets. In response, Chinese regulators and e-commerce giants are mobilizing to redirect exporters toward the domestic market. Early indicators suggest this inward pivot is gaining traction
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
Tesla has recently shown strong interest in India, with CEO Elon Musk announcing plans to revisit the country later in 2025. Tesla is also reportedly exploring potential suppliers in India
Malaysia-based EMS provider Nationgate has stated that the US's latest export ban on Nvidia's H20 to China has not impacted its business operations. According to The Edge Malaysia, Nationgate is the only contract manufacturer in Southeast Asia collaborating with Nvidia. The company handles AI data center server businesses
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
According to Reuters and Yonhap, South Korea's LG Energy Solution announced on April 21, 2025, that it has formally withdrawn from a major US$8.45 billion electric vehicle battery development project in Indonesia, citing shifts in market conditions and the investment climate
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
Chinese battery manufacturer Sunwoda, an Apple product supplier, is set to increase its investment in Bac Giang, Vietnam. According to The Investor, environmental assessment data from the local Bac Giang government reveals that Sunwoda will inject an additional US$22.5 million into the project, bringing the total capital investment to US$30.2 million
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
