Taiwanese printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer Allied Circuit (ACCL), a subsidiary of Compal Electronics, has entered a joint venture with Japanese firm Meiko to establish an HLC PCB production line in Vietnam. The plant is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2027, marking a strategic expansion amid capacity constraints at ACCL's Taiwan facilities

Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional has denied reports that it is in talks with a Chinese state-owned firm to build a rare earth processing plant, after Reuters cited sources claiming Beijing was prepared to share its restricted refining technology in exchange for access to Malaysia's mineral reserves

GoerTek has halted one of its investment projects in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, while maintaining active efforts to pursue further business opportunities within the country. According to reports from The Investor and Vietnam Investment Review, official documents from the Bac Ninh Industrial Zones Authority confirm that GoerTek Vina decided voluntarily to terminate the project, signaling a measured shift in its local operations

Hanmi Semiconductor has established a local entity in Singapore to provide on-site support for its core customer, Micron. According to Korean media reports, including Financial News and Herald Economy, as Micron expands production, Hanmi Singapore will deploy senior engineers locally to offer fast and professional service

Yuan Jen is broadening its international footprint with a planned investment in a Thailand subsidiary in 2025, enhancing its Southeast Asian business to meet customers' one-stop purchasing needs. The company operates primarily in chemicals, plastics, and oil products, with Taiwan contributing 63% of its revenue

The US government is reportedly weighing a policy that would require companies to manufacture and import semiconductor chips in the US on a 1:1 ratio, with additional tariffs imposed on those failing to meet the standard. Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and the US-ASEAN Business Council have voiced serious apprehensions about how this policy could affect bilateral trade and the broader semiconductor supply chain

V.S. Industry Bhd. reported a rare quarterly loss, its first in more than five years, as reciprocal tariffs and weaker customer demand weighed on sales. The Malaysian electronics manufacturing services provider posted a net loss attributable to equity holders of MYR33 million (US$7.84 million) in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, compared with a profit of MYR126.7 million a year earlier

Compal Electronics' PCB subsidiary, Allied Circuit Co., Ltd. (ACCL), has announced a joint venture with Japan's Meiko to establish a high-layer count (HLC) printed circuit board plant in Vietnam. The new entity, tentatively named AlliedCircuitMeikoVietnam, will set up operations within Meiko's new factory complex in Hoa Binh Province, northern Vietnam

Networking and server PCB giant GCE announced plans to expand its Thailand facility with a US$40 million investment to boost ASIC server production capacity by the second half of 2026. This move comes as ASIC server customer orders ramp up, pushing Taiwan and China plants to full capacity and driving strong revenue growth expected in the third quarter of 2025

Vietnam is solidifying its position as a major hub for South Korea's information and communications technology (ICT) industry, driven by government digitization initiatives and a large, skilled science and technology workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online services, further strengthening ties between the two countries in digital sectors. However, success in Vietnam requires adaptation to local language, culture, and business practices, while intellectual property rights and data protection remain sensitive issues

Taiwan-based Ampoc, a distributor and manufacturer of PCB wet process equipment and semiconductor materials, anticipates increasing overlap between PCB and semiconductor industries due to vertical integration, according to chairman Ronald Su. This convergence is expected to create favorable opportunities for Ampoc, which operates actively across both markets

Amid changing geopolitical dynamics, Southeast Asia is becoming a key expansion area for Taiwanese manufacturers. The Philippines' shift from pro-China to pro-US, coupled with its "Digital Infrastructure Plan" to enhance internet networks, is opening new opportunities for Taiwanese network equipment suppliers

King Yuan Electronics Co. (KYEC), a top IC testing service provider, said it will inject SGD100 million into its Singapore unit, fueling speculation that the move is paving the way for overseas expansion

LG Innotek has officially commenced operations at its newly completed V3 factory in Haiphong, Vietnam, effectively doubling its camera module production capacity. The expansion is part of the company's strategy to enhance its global leadership in the smartphone camera market amid intense competition from Chinese manufacturers