Taiwan's High Prosecutors' Office has filed a supplementary indictment against three additional suspects and the Japanese chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron (TEL) following new evidence in the investigation of a 2nm technology leak.
Chunghwa Precision Test Tech (CHPT), a subsidiary of Chunghwa Telecom, plans to start construction of its third Pingzhen plant in Taoyuan in early 2026, with completion expected by early 2028. Production could begin in the second half of 2028, supporting the company's medium- to long-term capacity expansion in the semiconductor sector.
Inpaq Technology, a passive components maker under the Walsin Technology Group, has launched an internal resource realignment plan. Newly appointed CEO and president Pei-Jen Chen stated that the company is emphasizing shortening time to market by integrating sites and centralizing development to build flexible capacity allocation capabilities. Inpaq intends to launch new products every month in 2026.
According to Bloomberg and The Korea Economic Daily, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung made a four-day trip from January 4-7, 2026, to Beijing and Shanghai, including a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The heads of the four major South Korean conglomerates (Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai, and LG Group) also traveled with Lee as part of an economic delegation.
The economics of advanced semiconductor manufacturing in the US differ sharply from those in Taiwan, and TSMC's experience in Arizona is underscoring how difficult that gap is to bridge. Analysts say higher depreciation per wafer and elevated labor costs are placing sustained pressure on margins at the company's US fabs, even as production ramps up.
As major corporations expand investments in artificial intelligence (AI), memory suppliers have seen a flood of orders. According to the latest reports from South Korean media, Samsung Electronics has not only demonstrated negotiation dominance but is also marketing a turnkey solution that bundles advanced packaging, DRAM, and foundry services to customers such as Google and AMD. This binding strategy aims to strengthen customer loyalty.
These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of Dec 29 - Jan 4.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) announced it has launched an investigation into alleged semiconductor patent infringement involving Samsung Electronics, Google, and Supermicro, after the US company Netlist filed a complaint claiming DRAM products imported by Samsung and Google violate Section 337 of the US Tariff Act. However, Netlist has faced criticism for its history of prolonged litigation battles with Samsung.
As AI server and semiconductor companies look set to close out a profitable 2025, recent Chinese military encirclement exercises and live-fire drills around Taiwan have once again highlighted the island's geopolitical tensions. US President Donald Trump has stated that China doesn't want to invade Taiwan.
As global tech companies navigate increasingly complex geopolitical tensions and shifting supply chains, strategic positioning against Chinese competitors has become a critical question. With Beijing ramping up support for domestic industries and the US tightening export controls, technology leaders are reassessing their competitive strategies.
As its most advanced packaging lines are operating at full capacity, TSMC has transferred part of its advanced packaging orders to outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) giants ASE and Amkor, rather than allowing customer orders to flow to its largest competitor, Samsung Electronics. The company is instead prioritizing subcontract capacity to relatively neutral OSAT players and plans to further incorporate them into TSMC's ecosystem.
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