A significant divergence emerged as Taiwan and China concluded their major PCB industry exhibitions in late October 2025. While Taiwanese manufacturers focused on supply bottlenecks for copper-clad laminates (CCL) amid surging AI demand, Chinese firms shifted attention to their own PCB technologies for cloud and edge AI. They also revealed early work on a next-generation packaging breakthrough known as CoWoP

During an interview aboard Air Force One on November 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump stated that only US customers should have access to Nvidia's advanced Blackwell AI chips. According to Reuters, these new chips are ten years ahead of their competitors, positioning the US ahead of the game. On the flip side of Trump's intentions to gatekeep valuable technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is encouraging cooperation because it serves everyone's best interests

China's artificial intelligence (AI) mobile app sector has surpassed 700 million monthly active users (MAUs), yet a majority of AI-native apps are facing significant user losses, according to data from QuestMobile cited by the South China Morning Post. As of September 2024, AI-native apps—those built with AI at the core—and in-app services, which provide intelligent AI features, combined reached 729 million MAUs, increasing by nearly 50 million since June 2024. Despite this growth, nearly 60% of native AI apps saw user decline in the third quarter of 2024

As China's 15th Five-Year Plan approaches, Big Fund III is accelerating its investments in core semiconductor materials and equipment sectors

With the electric vehicle market approaching maturity and growth momentum slowing, automakers are turning to artificial intelligence and robotics as the "second curve" of manufacturing transformation

Samsung Electronics has officially launched its new PC web browser, Samsung Internet PC, marking a major step in its effort to extend its mobile ecosystem to desktop platforms. The company said the browser aims to deliver a more personalized and connected user experience, with plans to evolve into an AI-powered browser in future updates

Just south of Seoul, a dense grid of R&D towers known as Pangyo Techno Valley has evolved from an industrial cluster into a crucial testbed for South Korea's artificial intelligence ambitions

The Chinese arm of Dutch semiconductor maker Nexperia has publicly accused its headquarters of owing more than CNY1 billion (approximately US$140 million) in unpaid fees, escalating an already fraught dispute between the two sides over control and supply-chain operations

As TSMC and Samsung Electronics move closer to mass production of 2nm chips, Japan's semiconductor materials makers are accelerating investments to strengthen their global supply chain presence and meet surging demand for advanced materials

The recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has eased tensions between the two countries, de-escalating rare earth export controls and soybean trade barriers. It remains uncertain whether Trump will come up with other threats when dealing with China. But for Taiwan, the speculation about the US sacrificing the island nation in return for better ties with China has not materialized. Neither has the US taken concrete steps to impose semiconductor tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Taiwan's manufacturing sector may gain momentum over the next two months if geopolitical and economic conditions remain stable

At a recent summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, the leaders exchanged carefully chosen gifts and engaged in an unexpected dialogue that captured industry and public attention. The interaction, held on November 1, 2025, at the Gyeongju National Museum, highlighted both diplomatic symbolism and technological cooperation amid ongoing geopolitical sensitivities

The US and China reached a wide-ranging trade and economic agreement in the Republic of Korea. The deal addresses fentanyl precursors, rare earth export controls, tariffs, and semiconductor trade restrictions, signaling a possible stabilization in US–China relations after years of escalating tensions over trade, security, and technology

Tongfu Microelectronics, a leading Chinese semiconductor packaging and testing company, made a significant leap in advanced packaging after acquiring 85% of AMD's Suzhou and Penang facilities in 2015. The deal gave it access to key CPU, GPU, APU, and game-console packaging platforms, including FCBGA, FCPGA, FCLGA, and MCM technologies. It also laid the foundation for a long-term strategic alliance with AMD, placing Tongfu among the frontrunners in advanced chip packaging