Taiwan's electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers are accelerating their North American production plans in response to tariff threats, but component shortages and capacity constraints at US chip plants could hamper the AI server market for years, according to industry sources

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), actively promoted by the governments of Singapore and Malaysia, leverages Johor state's advantages in land, water, electricity, and natural resources, combined with Singapore's advanced technology, financial sector, and status as an international business hub

As tariff negotiations between the US and Japan intensify, Washington has turned a critical eye toward Japan's electric vehicle (EV) charging standards, identifying the country's CHAdeMO protocol as a significant non-tariff barrier. American officials have voiced frustration that Tesla's and other US automakers' charging systems are excluded from Japanese government subsidies, a point expected to take center stage in the upcoming second round of ministerial-level trade talks

President Donald Trump's renewed tariff policies have pushed US-China trade tensions to an all-time high. As a result, global supply chains are scrambling to speed up production line relocations, coming face to face with logistical hurdles and China's tightened export controls in its process. The global push for regional manufacturing is reshaping supply chain strategies, however, uncertainties and equipment sourcing challenges further complicate the transition

Taiwan-based panel maker Emerging Display Technologies (EDT) and Japan's Nippon Seiki signed a joint venture agreement on April 25, 2025, to establish EDT-India Private Limited, focusing on automotive TFT LCD module production. Located in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, the new plant aims to start mass production by 2027

Reuters reports that DeepSeek, a Chinese generative artificial intelligence firm previously embroiled in controversy over excessive personal data collection, has partially adopted South Korea's regulatory recommendations. After a two-month suspension of new downloads, the company has reinstated its services, allowing South Korean users to once again access DeepSeek via app stores. Observers note that DeepSeek's return poses competitive challenges to domestic firms as US tech giants intensify efforts to capture market share in South Korea

Samsung Electronics has reportedly decided to adopt Vertical Channel Transistor (VCT) DRAM as its core next-generation memory product, with plans to begin mass production within the next three years

As China's homegrown AI models, such as DeepSeek, expand into manufacturing, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, particularly power supply, has become crucial for sustaining large-scale AI deployments

Nissan reportedly plans to close its Wuhan plant in China, reflecting Japanese car brands' rapid decline in the Chinese automobile market. However, the automotive supply chain still favors Japanese brands because of the higher gross profit margins associated with their orders, according to industry sources

With the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) rapidly emerging as a beneficiary of the AI data center boom, the region's supply chain is experiencing both new opportunities and formidable challenges. Among the early trailblazers is Wiwynn, a leading Taiwanese AI server integrator, whose strategic expansion into Johor, Malaysia, has set a benchmark for the industry

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. took the wraps off a new version of its flagship Qwen AI model, sustaining the breakneck pace of development that's characterized China's artificial intelligence sphere in the wake of DeepSeek

Xiaomi is expected to launch its in-house smartphone SoC in 2025, with the latest reports pointing to a potential debut in late May. According to Wccftech, the Chinese tech blog "Fixed focus digital" reported on Weibo that Xiaomi's internally codenamed "Xring" chip—officially named "Xuanjie"—is tentatively set for release around May 2X, though the timeline remains subject to change

The Indian government recently announced that Samsung Electronics will invest approximately US$110 million in its home appliance production line at the Sriperumbudur factory in Tamil Nadu, where worker strikes occurred in 2024

In early April, US President Donald Trump floated the idea of reciprocal tariffs, ramping up import duties on Chinese goods to as high as 125%. Yet on April 23, he reversed course, stating that current tariffs on Chinese imports are too high and promising to significantly lower them, adding that he would pursue "friendly" dialogue with Beijing