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Thursday 10 July 2025
Stay or relocate: Taiwan makers weigh exodus amid weak government support
The free trade agreement (FTA) between the US and South Korea has now become irrelevant under Donald Trump's administration. Taiwan's tech products also face the possibility of losing the ITA and ITA 2 tariffs-free benefits granted under the WTO framework. Trump's tariff threat can be understood as a step to force Seoul to share the cost of stationing US troops in South Korea. But what does Trump want from Taiwan in the tariffs game? TSMC is already constructing wafer fabs and an R&D center in the US. Does Trump want AI server makers to set up assembly lines in the US, and for the Taiwan currency to sharply appreciate against the greenback
LATEST STORIES
Friday 11 July 2025
How Taiwan's EMS evolved: From PCs and smartphones to AI servers and deep semiconductor integration
The advent of the personal computer (PC) provided an opportunity for Taiwan's manufacturing services to further evolve
Friday 11 July 2025
Auto giants squeezed as Trump’s trade brinkmanship stirs EU, Japan standoff
The US has unveiled its latest round of reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on August 1, 2025. Countries that have yet to reach an agreement with President Donald Trump's administration now face the near-certainty of increased tariffs, adding fresh strain to global trade negotiations
Friday 11 July 2025
How Taiwan's EMS evolved (2): Resilience and regionalized supply chains
As of 2024, the global electronic manufacturing services (EMS) industry is valued at approximately US$700 billion, with about half originating from Taiwan. Starting in 1966 with basic black-and-white television assembly, Taiwan has transformed over six decades into a comprehensive EMS powerhouse
Friday 11 July 2025
Taiwan's talent crunch in the age of AI: Macronix's Miin Wu and Deputy Minister Benson Yeh on rewiring education and industry
As Taiwan rides the wave of the AI revolution—with booming exports of GPUs and AI servers—some experts say the country risks losing sight of deeper, long-term challenges
Monday 7 July 2025
Xiaomi's 'toys for grown-ups' strategy fuels hype for YU7 EV, smart glasses
Xiaomi's latest breakout products, the YU7 electric vehicle and AI-powered smart glasses, are making waves not just for their functionality, but for how they're being positioned and sold. In today's digital-first consumer economy, tech is no longer just about utilities; it's a lifestyle marker. Analysts are increasingly framing this shift as "hype-driven tech consumption," with some even likening it to the rise of "tech collectibles.
Sunday 6 July 2025
Exclusive: Battery circularity or policy gap? Formosa Smart Energy weighs in on Taiwan's storage push
Formosa Smart Energy has unveiled Taiwan's first lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery recycling pilot line, launched in tandem with the government's July 1 rollout of discounted disposal fees for used lithium batteries. The initiative aims to boost local investment in battery reuse and closed-loop recycling infrastructure
Friday 4 July 2025
US-Vietnam tariff deal narrows gap, but transshipment rules remain a black box
US President Donald Trump has confirmed a preliminary tariff framework with Vietnam that lowers duties on Vietnamese exports to the US from 46% to 20%. However, the deal includes a separate 40% tariff on transshipped goods routed through Vietnam from other countries. In return, Vietnam will eliminate all tariffs on US imports, granting American products full access to its market
Friday 4 July 2025
China-India rivalry forces Foxconn to rethink manpower strategy
As 2025 begins under President Donald Trump's second term, rising trade tensions and tariffs are pushing regionalized manufacturing. In this context, Foxconn is reportedly recalling Chinese engineers from its Indian operations, highlighting the complex China-India dynamics shaping global industry
Thursday 3 July 2025
Details of the US-China trade agreement remain unclear, with no consensus on rare earths and chip controls
On June 26, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that the US had signed a trade agreement with China on June 25, which was also confirmed by China's Ministry of Commerce. From the talks in Geneva on May 11 to negotiations in London on June 10, followed by Trump's recent announcement, what exactly have the two countries agreed upon
Thursday 3 July 2025
Exclusive interview: Superb timing on the release of 'A Chip Odyssey'
Unlike semiconductor manufacturing processes, time is never an element that filmmakers can control. Since its release over three weeks ago, the documentary 'A Chip Odyssey' has accumulated a box office of NT$12 million (approx. US$410,582). The semiconductor godfather, Morris Chang, even quietly bought tickets and watched alongside regular audience members. Whether the screening period can be extended remains a race against time for director Chu-Chen Hsiao.
Thursday 3 July 2025
Chips for rare earths: An uneven US-China trade gambit
Since the onset of the US-China tech war, both sides have engaged in multifaceted struggles over strategic industries such as semiconductors, AI, and critical resources
Wednesday 2 July 2025
Wolfspeed bankruptcy reshuffles SiC supply chain: Renesas and SAS next moves in spotlight
The leading third-generation semiconductor silicon carbide (SiC) supplier, US-based Wolfspeed, has filed for bankruptcy reorganization. Its major creditors recently reached a restructuring support agreement (RSA) acknowledging losses
Tuesday 1 July 2025
MWC CEO exclusive interview: How MWC transforms into a cross-industry platform in new telecom landscape
On the eve of MWC Shanghai's opening, Francesc Fajula, CEO of Mobile World Capital (MWC) Barcelona, made his first whirlwind visit to Taiwan and granted an exclusive interview with DIGITIMES. He provided an in-depth analysis of how MWC evolved from a traditional telecom trade show into a cross-industry innovation platform. He also discussed differences in digital transformation across countries and emerging shifts in future industry competition
Monday 30 June 2025
From subsidies to subtraction: Lip-bu Tan rewrites Intel’s revival playbook
The semiconductor industry rarely sees such a stark contrast in leadership philosophy as the one emerging between Intel's current and former CEOs. Pat Gelsinger, who recently stepped down after failing to engineer Intel's revival, now offers strategic advice to Japan's Rapidus on challenging TSMC. Meanwhile, his successor, Lip-Bu Tan, has wasted no time in his emergency appointment, announcing significant layoffs just three months into his tenure
Thursday 26 June 2025
Trump launches strike on Iran, signals no letup in tariff policy
As the deadline for President Trump's tariff deferrals approaches on July 9, global attention shifts to the G7 summit in Canada, where leaders are pressing the US to roll back its trade restrictions. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Trump cut his participation short, citing more urgent matters back home. On the evening of June 21, Trump ordered seven B-2 bombers to strike Iran's underground nuclear facilities, signaling a significant escalation in US military engagement in the region