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Monday 25 August 2025
Weekly news roundup: Huawei found to use outdated 5nm; Google launches 270M AI model; China's new E-Beam tool
Below are the key DIGITIMES Asia stories from August 11 to 17, 2025. Firstly, a recent teardown confirms that Huawei's Kunpeng 930 chip still relies on TSMC's outdated 5nm process due to US sanctions that restrict its data center growth. Meanwhile, Google has made a significant move by launching the Gemma 3 AI model with 270 million parameters, explicitly designed to lower power consumption on mobile devices. Concurrently, China has successfully unveiled its first homegrown electron-beam lithography machine, although it faces substantial challenges in achieving mass production
Monday 25 August 2025
China tightens rare earth controls with new quota and traceability rules
China has introduced fresh regulatory measures to reinforce state control over its rare earth sector, further cementing its position as the world's dominant supplier of the strategic materials used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and advanced electronics
Monday 25 August 2025
OpenAI to open corporate office in New Delhi amid India expansion
OpenAI announced plans to open a corporate office in New Delhi, India, its second-largest market for the firm, in the coming months. The company has begun hiring locally, posting job openings for experienced sales professionals, according to Bloomberg and TechCrunch
Monday 25 August 2025
Baidu's Kunlunxin's US$140 million AI chip order from China Mobile fuels face-off with Nvidia
China's push to challenge Nvidia in AI chips is accelerating, with Baidu's Kunlunxin winning a US$140 million order from China Mobile. Alongside Huawei's Ascend processors and Cambricon's rising valuation, these efforts highlight Beijing's drive to build competitive domestic alternatives as US export restrictions tighten on advanced semiconductors
Monday 25 August 2025
South Korean scholars urge closer ASEAN ties to reduce dependence on US and China
South Korean academics are calling for further reforms of the country's New Southern Policy, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, already home to many South Korean enterprises, as US-China rivalry intensifies. This approach, they argue, not only helps reduce economic dependence on China and the US but also positions ASEAN as a natural strategic partner due to its geographic proximity, abundant resources, cultural affinity, and the soft power of the Korean Wave
Monday 25 August 2025
India roundup: iPhone production begins in India
Apple is rumored to begin iPhone 17 production in India; meanwhile, Dixon and Tata are stepping up their display and semiconductor ventures
Sunday 24 August 2025
DeepSeek’s shock fades, leaving China’s AI to face reality
More than six months after DeepSeek's surprise rise shook global markets and challenged US dominance in artificial intelligence, the Chinese startup's trajectory illustrates a shift from hype to deeper industry reassessment, as both China and the US recalibrate strategies in the rapidly evolving AI landscape
Saturday 23 August 2025
It’s official: Trump administration takes 10% Intel stake in $8.9B deal
Intel Corporation announced an agreement with the Trump Administration under which the US government will take a 9.9% stake in the company through a US$8.9 billion equity investment, marking a shift from grant-based support to direct ownership. The investment will be funded by US$5.7 billion in unspent CHIPS and Science Act grants previously awarded to Intel and US$3.2 billion from the Secure Enclave program
Saturday 23 August 2025
Mitsubishi Fuso and Foxconn sign MOU to develop zero-emission buses for global markets

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), a leading name in Japan's commercial vehicle industry, and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), the world's largest electronics manufacturer, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore a strategic collaboration in the field of zero-emission buses. The partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of clean mobility solutions in Japan and global markets

Saturday 23 August 2025
Samsung reportedly clears Nvidia's HBM4 checks as meeting between Jensen Huang and Lee Jae-Yong gains attention
Samsung Electronics' sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), delivered to Nvidia in July 2025, has reportedly cleared reliability testing, positioning it for pre-production by late August. The milestone is viewed as a concrete result of Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong's recent meeting with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
Saturday 23 August 2025
JPP Holding rides supply chain shift into AI and aerospace growth
JPP Holding Company, a precision components manufacturer, said on Wednesday that it expects continued strong order visibility for the second half of 2025, supported by the gradual ramp-up of its new facilities and automated production lines. These investments will enable the company to expand its portfolio of higher-margin, value-added products
Saturday 23 August 2025
Japan's last semiconductor stronghold slips under Chinese pressure

Japan's power semiconductor sector, once a global stronghold, is losing ground to fast-rising Chinese rivals as stalled consolidation and mounting financial pressures undermine its competitiveness. Talks between Toshiba and Rohm — two of Japan's five leading power semiconductor firms — have stalled, highlighting how fragmentation is preventing Japan from countering China's increasingly aggressive push

Saturday 23 August 2025
Rebellions takes on Nvidia with Saudi expansion, Aramco partnership
South Korean AI chip startup Rebellions has opened a subsidiary in Riyadh, making it the first Korean AI semiconductor company to establish a local unit in Saudi Arabia, according to BusinessKorea and KoreaTechDesk. The expansion highlights Rebellions' push to tap into the Middle East's growing demand for sovereign AI while stepping up its challenge to Nvidia in the global race for artificial intelligence hardware
Saturday 23 August 2025
Micron sells out 2026 HBM supply, SK Hynix and Samsung play catch-up
Micron has struck a confident tone in the race for high-bandwidth memory, announcing that all of its 2026 production has already been committed to customers. Chief Business Officer Sumit Sadana told the KeyBank Technology Leadership Forum in the US that talks with clients had made substantial progress in recent months, ensuring the company's entire output would be sold
Friday 22 August 2025
Geely challenges BYD for the crown in China’s auto market

China's fiercely competitive auto market is entering a new phase of high-stakes rivalry, with two private-sector titans — Geely Automobile and BYD — locked in an increasingly intense battle for dominance