These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of March 31 – April 5. From sweeping US tariff hikes to strategic moves by major tech players, here's a quick look at the headlines that captured industry attention.
Trump slaps Taiwan with tariffs—tech exporters on alert
US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of up to 32% on Taiwanese imports, excluding semiconductors, steel, aluminum, copper, and pharmaceuticals. The move threatens Taiwan's tech exports, which totaled US$11.77 billion to the US in February 2025. PCs, servers, and related hardware made up 58%, followed by computer peripherals (5.5%), ICs (4.6%), telecom equipment, and auto parts.
As part of a broader reset, Washington has also rolled out a blanket 10% tariff on all imports starting April 5, alongside steeper country-specific rates: 34% for China, 32% for Taiwan, 25% for South Korea, 24% for Japan, and 46% for Vietnam. Goods from Canada and Mexico not qualifying under USMCA will face up to 25% tariffs. While pitched as a defense of US industry and national security, critics warn the sweeping tariffs risk disrupting global supply chains.
Samsung sharpens China focus with AI and EV memory push
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong led a rare delegation of top chip and display executives to China, signaling a strategic pivot as ties deepen with Xiaomi and BYD. The visit, including meetings with President Xi Jinping and the China Development Forum, comes as China reached 22% of Samsung's 2024 revenue, surpassing the Americas.
Samsung is capitalizing on China's booming AI demand, with its HBM3 memory powering Nvidia's China-only H20 chip—now in short supply as Tencent, Alibaba, and ByteDance stockpile inventory. With SK Hynix shifting to HBM3E and Micron trailing, Samsung is the main HBM3 supplier and will begin HBM3E shipments to Nvidia in the second quarter of 2025. As US export curbs tighten, Samsung is betting on China's AI and EV sectors to boost chip momentum.
SiCarrier joins China's tech independence drive with bold chipmaking clims
SiCarrier, a rising chip toolmaker backed by Shenzhen's state capital and reportedly Huawei, is seen as China's latest push for semiconductor self-reliance. Founded in 2021, it claims its 28nm lithography rivals global peers, with tools spanning ALD, CVD, and etching. Staffed by former ASML, AMAT, and TSMC engineers, SiCarrier has built R&D hubs across China—but so far lists only Huawei-linked SiEn (Qingdao) as a confirmed client. Critics cite concerns over copied designs and domestic clashes with Naura and AMEC for state backing.
Beijing is promoting SiCarrier as its next tech milestone—after Huawei's 7nm return and DeepSeek's AI debut. As global suppliers split over engagement, China's chip strategy is entering a high-stakes phase. With SMIC producing 7nm—and reportedly 5nm—without EUV, many in the industry now say it's no longer a question of if China will break through, but when.
TSMC accelerates advanced packaging push despite Nvidia order shift
TSMC is advancing its advanced packaging expansion despite reduced Nvidia orders. In August 2024, it acquired Innolux's 5.5G Tainan plant for around US$516 million, converting it into the AP8 CoWoS facility. Construction was accelerated, with equipment installation beginning in April 2025 and mass production set for the second half.
Demand remains strong. Nvidia's orders run through 2029, and TSMC plans to scale CoWoS output to 95,000 units per month in 2026 and 135,000 by 2027. Order cuts from clients like T-Head are limited. Industry sources also point to possible collaboration with Intel, which could further reshape TSMC's packaging roadmap.
Memory market rebounds on AI demand; price hikes accelerate
DRAM and NAND flash prices are climbing sharply, marking a clear rebound in the memory market after an extended downturn. CXMT, Samsung, Micron, SK Hynix, and others have started raising prices—8GB DDR4 rose 12%, and 16GB DDR5 gained 8% since March. Flash wafer prices also increased, with 512GB TLC up 6%. AI-driven demand and tightening supply are fueling the rally, prompting vendors like Apacer to rebuild inventory.
Micron expects third-quarter fiscal 2025 revenue of US$8.6-9 billion with gross margins approaching 37.5%, while Kioxia plans a 25% capex cut to regain profitability. Despite rising orders, suppliers remain cautious, curbing stockpiling to prevent overheating. With inventories tightening, contract prices are projected to rise further into the second quarter.
Intel CEO Lip-bu Tan charts lean turnaround with AI and foundry in focus
At Intel Vision on March 31, new CEO Lip-bu Tan outlined a practical strategy to refocus Intel on its core business, spin off non-essential units, and rebuild its foundry operations. He plans to streamline execution by reducing bureaucracy, empowering smaller teams, and ramping up AI-driven design. The 18A node will enter mass production in the second half of 2025, led by Panther Lake, with 14A development underway. A top priority is securing 2–3 key foundry customers in coordination with the US government.
Oracle bets on AMD's MI355X in multibillion-dollar AI cluster deal
Oracle has signed a multibillion-dollar deal with AMD to deploy 30,000 MI355X GPUs for a next-gen AI cluster, aiming to outperform Nvidia. Built on TSMC's 3nm process and equipped with 288GB HBM3E, the MI355X delivers 4.6 PFLOPS FP8—77% faster than the MI300X—and competes directly with Nvidia's B100, B200, and B300 chips.
Chairman Larry Ellison emphasized that faster chips lower costs under Oracle's pay-per-hour model. Analysts say AMD could also win orders from Microsoft and Meta while expanding in China via Lenovo's new WA7785a G3 server, though export-compliant variants will be required.
Article edited by Jack Wu
