The US and Chile have agreed to begin talks on cooperation in rare earths and other critical minerals, as Washington seeks to strengthen supply chains and reduce reliance on China for strategic materials used in advanced technologies.

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers is driving a sharp rise in global electricity demand, renewing interest in nuclear power as a source of reliable, carbon-free energy. Yet while governments in the US and Europe are trying to revive their nuclear sectors, structural challenges—including aging workforces, fragile supply chains, and project delays—are complicating those efforts.

Taiwan is exploring regulatory measures to manage the rising electricity demand from AI computing infrastructure, even as the government rolls out incentives to accelerate the sector's development.

Joseph Liow, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said in a recent public lecture that technology is no longer merely an engine of economic growth but has become a core instrument in great-power competition. For Taiwan, which sits at the center of the semiconductor industry and global supply chains, Liow said the rules of competition have fundamentally changed.

South Korea is moving to domestically produce key components for electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers, as Chinese-made power modules account for more than 90% of those installed in the country, according to a Hankyung report.