The concept of digital twins initially emerged in consumer applications for AR/VR/MR, but its future lies in smart manufacturing. Like quantum computing, this is not a technology that will take 20 years to materialize, but a tangible reality within the next decade. Hardware evolution may progress even faster than expected, but the real challenge lies in educating users and making these new technologies mainstream applications

The debut of DeepSeek in early 2025 jolted the AI industry, triggering ripple effects across related sectors. Alibaba's Damo Academy recently announced support for the DeepSeek-R1 series distilled models, fueling discussions in the semiconductor space. The rise of RISC-V as an open-source alternative is gaining momentum in China's AI race, reshaping chip architectures

The South Korean firms' strategy of expanding investment into a crisis-stricken market succeeded in sending them to the top of the global memory market. However, Chinese memory makers are copying this strategy, posing strong challenges to their dominance in a market that has been hit by slow demand over recent years

Since President Donald Trump took office, his tariff policies have undergone significant fluctuations, with the latest adjustment raising the tariff on Chinese imports to 20%. The move, which comes amid ongoing tensions over China's inability to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the US, has prompted a swift migration of the electronic paper supply chain out of China as companies seek to mitigate the impact of rising costs

The "A+H" dual-listing model—where companies trade shares on both Mainland China's A-share market and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX)—is gaining momentum. More Chinese firms are embracing this approach to diversify funding sources and attract global investors. According to Wind Information, as of March 3, 2025, over 40 companies have filed for initial public offerings (IPOs) on HKEX, including Goertek Microelectronics Inc. (GMI), a subsidiary of Goertek Inc

It is becoming increasingly difficult for Chinese lithium battery manufacturers to navigate the constant changes to US tariff policy made by US President Donald Trump. These policy shifts are also complicating component procurement for American energy storage system (ESS) vendors as well

In his first congressional address of his second term, US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to repealing the CHIPS and Science Act, a policy shift that has unsettled South Korea's semiconductor industry. Analysts suggest that while a full repeal may face legislative hurdles, the administration could still use regulatory reviews to scale back subsidies, putting pressure on companies like Samsung Electronics

The US has imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports just ahead of China's annual Two Sessions meetings, heightening economic and geopolitical tensions. The move underscores Washington's intent to restrain China's technological and economic expansion while increasing pressure on Beijing

The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) has released the most recent wholesale sales figures for new energy passenger vehicle manufacturers in February 2025. According to the recent data, Xiaomi's February sales exceeded 20,000 units, propelling it into the top ten ranking. Tesla's standing in China, on the other hand, continued to worsen, dropping to sixth place, outside the top five

Coming on the heels of Donald Trump's second-term victory, TSMC has announced a staggering US$100 billion expansion in the US. This move has sparked debate about whether Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will be forced to ramp up their investments to stay competitive

Alibaba's DAMO Academy has introduced its first server-grade RISC-V processor, the C930, designed for high-performance computing (HPC) applications. Announced at the XuanTie RISC-V Ecosystem Conference in Beijing, the chip is positioned to boost China's AI sector while navigating US semiconductor sanctions. Mass production and shipments are scheduled for March 2025

China has escalated its trade dispute with the US, imposing up to 15% tariffs on select American agricultural imports in response to the Trump administration's latest tariff hikes. Meanwhile, Beijing's Ministry of Commerce blacklisted 15 US companies under export controls along with 10 more firms added to its "unreliable entity" list, intensifying economic tensions between the world's two largest economies

China's annual "Two Sessions" kicked off with the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), where policymakers laid out economic and fiscal strategies for the year ahead. Premier Li Qiang delivered the government work report, detailing growth targets and key policy measures for 2025

China's recent trade-in subsidy program, aimed at boosting the consumer electronics market, has significantly impacted the supply chain. For Taiwanese IC design firms, it has sparked a restocking surge, setting the stage for a surprisingly strong first quarter of 2025—typically a slow period due to the Lunar New Year. Most expect revenues to hold steady or rise slightly from the fourth quarter of 2024, defying the typical seasonal downturn

With the growing demand for AI computing from enterprises, the market for AI all-in-one machines is experiencing explosive growth. Numerous Chinese companies are launching all-in-one machines based on the DeepSeek large language model (LLM). These machines incorporate AI models in hardware and offer customized services tailored to different application areas, advancing the penetration of AI technology across various industries