Taiwan currently shines on the global stage with three standout industries: its healthcare system, electronics manufacturing services (EMS), and semiconductors. Though each sector's competitive edge stems from unique factors, they all share one crucial—and arguably most important—common denominator: the sustained, multi-generational commitment of the nation's social elites. This commitment is measured not in years, but in cycles of sixty years, known as a jiazi in the traditional Chinese calendar.

The global AI wave is driving a "golden decade" for the printed circuit board (PCB) industry, sparking revolutionary innovations in design, manufacturing, and materials that accelerate its integration with advanced semiconductor sectors. This trend has not only exposed upstream capacity pressures but also intensified geopolitical risks, profoundly reshaping global PCB investment strategies.

Taiwan's offshore wind maritime engineering firm Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) is set to transition from the over-the-counter (OTC) market to the Taiwan Stock Exchange mainboard in mid-November 2025. The company is rapidly expanding its fleet to capture strong growth opportunities in AI-fueled undersea communication cable demand.

Inventec, a leading Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM), has entered a joint venture with India's Dixon Technologies to produce notebooks (NB), servers, desktops, and electronic components domestically. The new company, Dixon IT Devices Private Limited, will be majority-owned by Dixon (60%), with Inventec holding 40%. The jointly operated factory is scheduled for completion by the second quarter of 2026.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly set to start production of its AI-powered home assistant robot, Ballie, at its facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, suggesting that the long-delayed device is finally nearing mass production.

Quanta Senior Vice President Mike Yang stated that Quanta will continue expanding production capacity in the US and Thailand. Although Taiwan is no longer considering factory expansion, he expects 2025 to once again be an excellent year. Yang shared that Quanta aims to become a collaborator in intelligent production systems.

Airbus activated its second A320 final assembly line in Tianjin on October 22, 2025, aiming for full operation by early 2026 to support a global production target of 75 aircraft per month by 2027. This expansion highlights China's strategy to diversify its aircraft supply chain amid US export restrictions on Boeing parts, signaling strengthened Airbus-China cooperation during geopolitical tensions.

Market watchers are eagerly anticipating a major year-end executive reshuffle at Samsung Electronics, as operational performance at the South Korean giant stabilizes. Acting Device eXperience (DX) head Roh Tae-moon is expected to be officially appointed to the position, and rumors suggest that personnel changes may also affect Device Solutions (DS) leader Jun Young-hyun. Since these divisions form the two main pillars of Samsung's core businesses, the potential reshuffling of these two leadership positions has drawn keen attention.

US tariffs have gradually become internalized as part of corporate order costs amid the ongoing tariff war, according to Ted Hsu, president of heavy electrical equipment maker Fortune Electric. Hsu further notes that operational disruptions will be minimal as tariffs are already factored into procurement budgets for new orders in the third quarter of 2025.

South Korea's vision of a sci-fi future is on full display as the 2025 Future Innovation Technology Expo (FIX 2025) kicked off in Daegu. Dubbed "Korea's CES," the massive four-day event features 585 companies across 2,000 booths, all showcasing breakthroughs in mobility, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

Yageo chairman Pierre Chen announced the successful acquisition of Japan's Shibaura Electronics and immediately traveled to Tokyo for a joint press conference with Shibaura president Akira Kasai, marking a new milestone in their partnership aimed at expanding presence in the Americas and Europe.

Malaysia has reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with both China and the US to develop rare earth processing technologies, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). The government emphasized its invitation for China to join efforts in building rare earth processing capabilities amid growing global demand and supply concerns. Malaysia possesses significant rare earth resources but lacks the specialized expertise and technology to fully exploit them.

Apple has hit fresh roadblocks in its ambitious attempt to reinvent the iPad with a giant foldable display, according to multiple reports. The device, internally code-named J312, was originally targeted for a 2028 launch, but now, engineers and industry watchers believe it may not arrive until 2029, or possibly never.

US President Donald Trump is set to personally attend oral arguments on November 5, 2025, at the US Supreme Court regarding the legality of his administration's reciprocal tariffs—a rare move underscoring the critical importance of the case for his signature trade policies.

Taiwan's economy is experiencing a dramatic surge fueled by its dominant position in global semiconductor manufacturing and the artificial intelligence boom. The Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER) recently revised Taiwan's 2025 GDP growth forecast upward to 5.45%, citing strong demand in semiconductors and AI driving investment and exports. However, this impressive growth has exposed a widening economic divide, with legislators arguing that gains are concentrated almost entirely in the electronics, AI, and memory sectors while traditional industries struggle to keep pace.

As the global race in artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates, Taiwan continues to hold a clear edge in hardware manufacturing but faces starkly different challenges compared to Silicon Valley in developing its software and application startup ecosystem, according to venture capital experts.

As global competition between the US and China intensifies in humanoid robot development, Taiwanese manufacturers are accelerating efforts to catch up. Despite holding key component advantages, Taiwan still needs to strengthen system integration capabilities, especially in the final stage of robot carriers, according to industry experts.

Nvidia is planning to promote new cooling technologies in response to increasing demand for AI server cooling. In addition to the Microchannel Lid (MCL), the company is also said to be introducing a Microchannel Cold Plate (MCCP), both designed to meet the cooling requirements of the Vera Rubin server rack. Since both technologies rely on liquid cooling, liquid cooling is becoming a crucfial standard for AI servers. Subsequently, it has also sparked competition between Taiwan's two major thermal solution companies.

Inventec has formed a joint venture with India's top electronics manufacturer, Dixon Technologies, to localize production of notebooks, servers, desktops, and electronic components. The new company, Dixon IT Devices Private Limited, will finalize the transaction on October 16, 2025, with Inventec owning 40% and Dixon 60%.

Taiwan's Executive Yuan (Cabinet) is vigorously promoting the "10 New Major AI Projects," focusing on smart applications, critical technologies, and digital infrastructure. Key technologies include silicon photonics (SiPh), quantum computing, and intelligent robots. However, compared with advanced Western countries, Taiwan invests less in basic research, potentially creating bottlenecks in developing core intelligent robot technologies.

All eyes are turning to Daegu, South Korea, as the 2025 Future Innovation Tech Expo, or FIX 2025, is set to open on October 22, 2025, at the EXCO center. Running for four days through October 25, 2025, the event is built around the theme "The Future Already Begun, All on AI." The expo will showcase cutting-edge developments in mobility, robotics, information and communication technology (ICT), and startups, highlighting Daegu's growing role in South Korea's AI-driven industrial transformation.

Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) announced the winners of the 2025 Future Tech Award. Among the winners is the infant cardiac robotic surgical system (iCROSS) developed by Professor Cheng-wei Chen's team from National Taiwan University's (NTU) Department of Electrical Engineering. The system achieves a level of precision beyond what the da Vinci surgical system is capable of.

South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has launched a Rare Earth Supply Chain Task Force to shield domestic industries from China's tightened export controls.

On October 17, 2025, Dixon Technologies posted robust results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 (April 2025 to March 2026), with revenue rising 28.8% year-on-year to INR148.55 billion (US$1.69 billion), driven by higher demand across its electronics manufacturing segments. The company's operating income grew 29.1% to INR4.65 billion, reflecting improved efficiency and scale benefits from expanding production volumes.

Tech firms are ramping up AI infrastructure investments and talent hunt in India as Tata Electronics reportedly develops its electronics manufacturing capabilities with a series of M&A efforts.