China's semiconductor sector was abuzz in late May 2025 by reports that Siemens EDA received a notice from the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) instructing it to halt all electronic design automation (EDA) services and support to Chinese clients. Several Chinese media outlets and local industry sources alleged that Siemens had already begun blocking regional access to its technical websites

Amid the escalating US-China tech war and supply chain risks, the trend of "de-Nvidia-ization" is rapidly spreading within China's computing power industry. This shift represents not only a technological transformation but also a comprehensive change encompassing policy, technology, ecosystem, and market dynamics

The US has once again delayed the imposition of a 50% tariff on European imports, following a phone call between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The tariff implementation date has been postponed to July 9, 2025. However, Trump's broader tariff strategy faced a significant legal setback when the US Court of International Trade ruled on May 28, 2025, that the president lacked authority to introduce his April 2nd "liberation day" tariff scheme using emergency economic powers legislation, potentially throwing the administration's global trade policy into disarray. Meanwhile, the existing US tariffs on Chinese goods—currently totaling around 40%—are expected to remain in place for now, with China maintaining reciprocal tariffs of approximately 25% on American imports. Despite this temporary détente, China's manufacturing sector continues to suffer, with GDP growth for 2025 projected to fall below 5%

Hanmi Semiconductor has secured a major supply agreement with Taiwan's ASE Technology Holding Co., marking another strategic win in its global expansion drive. Under the contract, Hanmi will export semiconductor back-end process equipment valued at approximately KRW8 billion (US$5.83 million) to Taiwan

Nvidia Corp. today reported robust financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2026, with revenue reaching US$44 billion, a 69% increase year-over-year. However, the company highlighted the significant and immediate impact of new US government export controls on its data center business in China, affecting both the past quarter's performance and future outlook

Huawei's HiSilicon and Lenovo have reignited global debate over China's semiconductor ambitions by launching AI PCs and tablets powered by 5nm chips, despite the country's lack of access to advanced EUV lithography equipment. Huawei's Kirin X90 was unveiled in a high-profile spot on CCTV, while Lenovo's self-developed 5nm SS1101 SoC surfaced quietly inside the new YOGA Pad Pro 14.5 with minimal fanfare. The contrast reflects not just divergent publicity tactics, but different survival strategies under China's chipmaking constraints

In ongoing tariff negotiations between Japan and the US, the Japanese government has proposed purchasing semiconductor products from American manufacturers worth several billion US dollars. This move aims to serve as a bargaining chip for reducing the US trade deficit with Japan

Hygon Information Technology and Dawning Information Industry Co. (Sugon) announced a strategic merger on May 25, 2025, a move widely seen as aligning with Beijing's agenda to consolidate its computing infrastructure and fast-track technological self-reliance. Hygon, valued at roughly CNY316 billion (US$43.95 billion), focuses on domestic CPUs and data processing units (DCUs), with five chip generations in use across finance, telecom, artificial intelligence, and enterprise data centers

President William Lai's initiative for a global democratic semiconductor supply chain represents Taiwan's response and commitment to the restructuring of global supply chains, according to Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will support foreign companies as they enter what Kuo describes as a golden era of partnership with Taiwan

In the high-stakes race to supply memory for the next generation of artificial intelligence, Samsung Electronics is under mounting pressure to deliver its 12-layer HBM3E chips to Nvidia by the end of 2025. But as its self-imposed deadline approaches, uncertainty lingers over whether Samsung can meet the rigorous performance standards set by its most critical customer

Sony has unveiled its 2025 flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VII, aiming to strengthen its position in the high-end segment despite its diminished influence in the global smartphone market. While far behind giants like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, Sony is leveraging its brand strength and technological integration to maintain relevance, particularly in Japan, Taiwan, and parts of Europe

As US-China tech decoupling deepens, Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC), a top Chinese semiconductor equipment maker, is ramping up efforts to localize its supply chain and boost technological independence. On May 27, 2025, Chairman and CEO Gerald Yin said the firm is developing over 20 next-generation chipmaking tools to reduce reliance on US-sourced technologies

The protracted dispute between Hanmi Semiconductor and SK Hynix regarding the supply of Thermo Compression Bonding (TCB) equipment has reached a resolution, with Hanmi Semiconductor confirming the return of its engineering personnel to SK Hynix's facilities. This marks a significant thaw in the strained relationship between the two industry giants, following a month-long absence of Hanmi's engineers from SK Hynix's production lines

Huawei is reportedly supporting Zhuhai Cornerstone Technologies Co. in a strategic effort to localize chipmaking materials and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Founded in 2022, the company is emerging as a potential rival to global chemical giants including Shin-Etsu Chemical, JSR Corporation, Merck KGaA, DuPont, and Dow Chemical. As reported by Nikkei Asia, Zhuhai Cornerstone is being positioned as an "end-to-end" semiconductor chemical supplier, aligned with China's broader push for supply chain independence amid tightening US export controls

Yageo chairman Pierre Chen has expressed an optimistic outlook for the second half of 2025, despite global uncertainties surrounding tariffs and exchange rate fluctuations. Speaking at the company's recent shareholders' meeting, Chen reassured investors that the company is in a strong position to navigate these challenges, with controllable risks tied to the impact of currency fluctuations and tariffs. Chen also reaffirmed Yageo's unwavering commitment to acquiring Shibaura Electronics, stressing that while the company may adjust the timeline and specifics of the acquisition strategy, its long-term objective remains unchanged: to fully integrate Shibaura Electronics into the Yageo Group and eventually delist the Japanese company