Japanese component manufacturer MinebeaMitsumi has delayed its tender offer to acquire sensor maker Shibaura Electronics. Initially scheduled for April 23, the move comes after Taiwanese firm Yageo Corp.'s unsolicited bid, which included a raised price, prompting MinebeaMitsumi to reassess its offer terms to potentially match Yageo's new bid

In a landmark event that tested the limits of current robotics technology, Beijing became the stage for the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon. Nearly 20 teams from across China entered self-developed bipedal robots in this 21.0975-kilometer challenge, which quickly exposed the current limitations of humanoid technology

US President Donald Trump has signaled a shift in his administration's trade approach toward China, indicating openness to a more conciliatory tone while maintaining leverage through high tariffs

The South Korean semiconductor industry is abuzz with intrigue as Hanmi Semiconductor's once-ironclad relationship with SK Hynix frays over the supply of thermal compression bonders (TC Bonders or TCBs), critical equipment for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production. The friction became more apparent after Hanmi Semiconductor unexpectedly canceled an investor relations event set for April 22, according to a report by Maeil Business Newspaper. This development came shortly after a visit from SK Hynix executives, with industry sources indicating that disagreements over the terms of TCB supply have escalated to a critical juncture

Following the US government's export control of Nvidia's China-specific H20 chips, rumors have surfaced that the flagship gaming graphics card RTX 5090D, also tailored for the Chinese market, may face sales restrictions. Although no official announcement has been made, insiders reveal that Nvidia has notified all AIC graphics card manufacturers about suspending supplies of the RTX 5090D, though this does not equate to an outright ban on sales

Samsung Electronics and ASML have scrapped plans to build a joint research and development (R&D) center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and are now devising a new collaboration strategy, South Korean outlets ETNews and Seoul Economic Network TV reported

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi's pivot into cars has become a high-profile success story. Its SU7 is a hit, forecast to sell 350,000 units this year, and even Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley has heaped praise on the model

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

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