At Singapore's Innovate Together 2026 conference on September 25, executives and researchers from A*STAR's Institute of Microelectronics (IME), KLA, ASM International, the National University of Singapore (NUS), the SHINE Centre, and ASMPT discussed how advanced packaging is evolving beyond conventional chip integration, with optical interconnects, panel-level packaging, and talent development emerging as key challenges.
Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) and NXP Semiconductors' joint venture, VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (VSMC), officially opened its 12-inch (300mm) wafer fab on September 28 in Tampines, Singapore. Vanguard and VSMC chairman Leuh Fang said the AI-driven crowding out of capacity has spread across the global semiconductor supply chain, leaving almost no company able to say it has sufficient capacity.
Brake system parts maker Yusin said at an investor conference on September 23 that key equipment at its new Malaysia plant is expected to be installed by the fourth quarter of 2026, with production targeted at 557,500 sets in 2027. Chairman Ching-te Chi said the company was hit by the restructuring of its largest customer, First Brands Group (FBG), which pushed Yusin into a loss in 2025 and sharply cut first-half 2026 revenue, but July and August sales have returned to year-over-year growth, suggesting early signs of a rebound.
Anthropic will open its Singapore office in October, making it the company's fifth office in the Asia-Pacific region after Tokyo, Bengaluru, Seoul, and Sydney. The move underscores the AI company's push into Singapore as demand for Claude surges across startups, large enterprises, and government agencies.
Thailand is preparing to abandon the subsidy-led policy that made it Southeast Asia's fastest-growing electric vehicle market, replacing it with a tax structure built to penalize carmakers that import rather than build. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the excise tax on fully imported EVs could rise to around 30%, from 10% today — the first time the government has attached a number to the levy.
Tesla has established a subsidiary in Vietnam as it prepares to enter the local market. Reuters reported that filing documents show the unit is registered in Ho Chi Minh City with capital of US$3 million.
