As the US escalates tariff threats against trading partners, experts warn that Singapore's close trade relationship with China makes it vulnerable to indirect consequences

While Malaysia is not a direct target of Donald Trump's tariff war against trading partners, the Southeast Asian nation is concerned about potential impacts and is advocating for trade diversification

ByteDance's TikTok plans to invest THB126.8 billion (US$3.76 billion) in a Thai data hosting service, marking a major expansion in Southeast Asia. Thailand is emerging as a digital hub, attracting tech giants like Google, AWS, and Microsoft despite workforce challenges

Singapore said its customs and law enforcement departments will continue to work closely with US counterparts amid concerns China AI firm DeepSeek obtained Nvidia Corp. chips through intermediaries on the island

Malaysia's data center sector maintains an optimistic outlook despite new US export restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) chips, which were implemented in the final days of President Joe Biden's administration

BYD has formed a strategic partnership with Grab, Southeast Asia's leading ride-hailing platform, to offer discounted rates on up to 50,000 EVs for fleets and drivers. The collaboration extends across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, reports The Edge Singapore

The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Infineon Technologies have launched a vendor development program to enhance Malaysia's semiconductor industry

As global manufacturing continues to shift away from mainland China, companies with established operations in Southeast Asia are seeing major opportunities emerge. Tony Chou, managing director of Cal-Comp Electronics (Thailand) (CCET), emphasized that while the current environment presents favorable conditions, maintaining readiness for various changes remains crucial

Despite ambitious plans to develop its semiconductor ecosystem, Vietnam faces persistent power supply issues that could impede industry growth and foreign investment

Infineon Technologies has broken ground on a new semiconductor backend production facility in Samut Prakan, south of Bangkok, strengthening its manufacturing presence

The impending return of Donald Trump to the White House may trigger significant global economic disruption. The president-elect's threats to increase tariffs on Vietnamese and Mexican imports could severely impact the supply chains that Taiwanese companies have been developing in recent years

Uncertainties will cloud the forecast in the Asia Pacific region in 2025, according to Acer's president of Pan-Asia operations Andrew Hou. Even so, the company still expects high single-digit or even double-digit growth in its Asia Pacific revenue for 2025, driven by strong performance in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The Asia Pacific region has become Acer's largest single market, accounting for 51% of revenue in the third quarter of 2024

Acer has been experiencing strong sales momentum in Southeast Asia since the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by the popularity of its Predator League e-sports competition, according to Acer Malaysia managing director Kon Tek Yoong. The company anticipates continued growth into 2025, supported by an expected device replacement cycle triggered by upcoming next-generation graphics cards

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced plans to leverage the country's geographical advantages and recent foreign investments to position Malaysia as a hub for energy and chip manufacturing

The Apple Inc. executive leading talks with Indonesia to lift the country's iPhone 16 sales ban departed Jakarta on Wednesday, after a late-stage about-face from a minister scuttled a deal, according to people familiar with the matter