As supply chains reorganize and markets expand, Southeast Asia has emerged as a strategic region that Taiwanese industries cannot afford to overlook. At the recent Taiwan Expo in the Philippines, Filipino buyers shared their thoughts with DIGITIMES. The general consensus among them is that the quality and pricing of Taiwanese products are the primary factors attracting their interest. However, establishing strong brand recognition in the international market continues to be a significant challenge for Taiwanese manufacturers
Advanced packaging has emerged as the centerpiece of semiconductor innovation, with industry attention now focused on what will replace the dominant chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) process. Many suppliers see chip-on-panel-on-substrate (CoPoS) —a panel-level packaging method that converts round wafers into square panels— as the frontrunner for near-term adoption
Vietnamese technology giant FPT Corporation is intensifying its push into the semiconductor industry with plans to establish a new backend semiconductor manufacturing facility in the central city of Đà Nẵng
The Taiwan Expo in the Philippines opened on September 17, 2025 in Manila after a six-year hiatus. James Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), noted that Taiwan's return to the Philippines comes amid drastically changed international supply chains and geopolitical dynamics. Both the Philippine government and business sectors now have stronger trust in the technological solutions Taiwan offers
TSMC's successful establishment of a chip manufacturing plant in Arizona has reignited semiconductor development efforts in countries including India, Vietnam, and Qatar. Industry sources note that while the US, Europe, and Japan maintain leadership in semiconductor manufacturing through strong government support, emerging regions are increasingly seeking cooperation with Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem to advance their own industries
Panasonic Group's subsidiary, Panasonic Industry, announced plans to construct a new factory in central Thailand with an investment of JPY17 billion (approx. US$115 million). The facility will produce multilayer circuit board materials specifically designed for artificial intelligence (AI) servers, addressing the surging global demand driven by generative AI technologies
Malaysia is emerging as a key beneficiary of the intensifying US-China technology rivalry, attracting billions in foreign investment as it seeks to cement its role as a critical player in the global semiconductor supply chain. Through a combination of targeted policies and fiscal incentives, Kuala Lumpur is positioning itself as what officials call the "indispensable middle" of the industry
Auden Techno, a Taiwan-based radio frequency antenna and communications module manufacturer, announced its consolidated revenue for August 2025 reached NT$154 million (approx. US$5.08 million), marking a sequential increase of 0.43% and a year-over-year increase of 1.6%. The cumulative consolidated revenue for the first eight months of 2025 totaled NT$1.05 billion
Malaysia's IC design firm Oppstar has entered into two MoUs with Inventec to collaborate on next-generation AI chips and form a joint venture (JV), according to documents filed with Bursa Malaysia
In the second quarter of 2025, Southeast Asia's electric vehicle (EV) sales grew 102% year-over-year, driven by affordable battery electric vehicles, rising consumer awareness, government subsidies, and local production expansion. Chinese and Vietnamese brands like BYD and VinFast have become central forces, reshaping the regional EV ecosystem
Taiwan-based Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) is strengthening its international and cloud strategy through its cloud business, Nextlink. FET has announced it has signed a 100% share acquisition agreement with Hong Kong-based cloud service technology firm Renova Cloud, through which FET will gain control of Renova Cloud's subsidiary in Vietnam
Malaysia has revealed that China is prepared to offer assistance in developing rare earth processing technology, contingent upon partnerships involving Malaysian state-owned companies
On July 31, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing new tariffs—ranging from 10% to 41%—on imports from 68 countries and the European Union (EU). While many trade partners faced updated rates, tariffs on Vietnamese goods remained unchanged: a 20% duty on direct imports and a 40% levy on transshipped goods. In exchange, Vietnam has agreed to fully open its market and eliminate all tariffs on American imports
