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Singapore has committed S$1 billion (US$786 million) to fund public artificial-intelligence research over the next five years, signalling a more assertive state role as global competition over AI capabilities intensifies....

Tighter US export controls on advanced artificial intelligence chips are accelerating China's push to develop domestic chip technologies and expand its semiconductor supply chain, according to recent research. The shift is contributing to structural changes in the global AI chip market....

As 2026 begins, demand for fan motors remains strong. On top of continued cooling needs driven by cloud servers, new fan upgrade and increased usage requirements are emerging across the edge computing segment. AI PCs are driving more dual-fan designs, while automotive and industrial control sectors are also expanding their fan usage. The motor driver IC opportunities behind these trends are expected to become a major development focus for many Taiwanese analog chip makers in 2026. Weltrend Semiconductor, Global Mixed-mode Technology (GMT), and Anpec Electronics are all expected to see stable support for their operations this year....

At major international auto shows, sleek supercars and long-range electric vehicles are no longer the sole attractions. Increasingly, visitors encounter humanoid robots moving through exhibition halls and smart wearable devices synced in real time with driving data....

The display industry, evolving from LCD to OLED, now faces cost and performance bottlenecks, driving focus on new emissive materials and novel form factors. South Korean research teams recently achieved breakthroughs in stretchable OLEDs and perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs), aiming to maintain the country's leadership in display technology....

The Global Electronics Association's latest "2026 Electronics Industry Trend Forecast" highlights critical challenges and shifts that will impact the sector over the next few years. Chief among these are energy infrastructure constraints that are throttling AI expansion, a move toward strategic interdependence in regional supply chains, and advancements in packaging technologies that are transforming industry dynamics. These developments signal substantial changes in investment approaches, geopolitical relations, and manufacturing policies worldwide....

As the global semiconductor industry pushes forward with advanced processes, heterogeneous integration, and cutting-edge packaging, competition now extends beyond process nodes to include material stability and equipment performance. Recently, China's development in high-performance carbon fiber has drawn attention from semiconductor equipment makers and advanced manufacturing supply chains....

While the recent announcement that the US will lower tariffs on Taiwanese exports from 20% to 15% was welcomed by officials in Taipei as a diplomatic milestone, the reaction within the semiconductor supply chain has been more measured....

Taiwan's Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance has expanded to more than 260 member companies as it steps up efforts to capture overseas demand, with securing US regulatory clearance emerging as its top priority for 2026....

The North American automotive landscape is cloaked in strategic uncertainty. In a move that has captured international attention, Canada recently announced a dramatic, one-time reduction of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to 6.1%—a full 100% cut—while setting an initial import cap of 49,000 vehicles per year, gradually rising to 70,000 over five years....

The Taiwanese passive components industry continued to experience a wave of price increases. Magnetic component manufacturer LinkCom pointed out that since magnetic components primarily use iron powder cores as raw materials, supplemented with minimal amounts of copper wire, their current costs are relatively less affected by metal price fluctuations....

European car manufacturers are confronting a complex geopolitical and economic dilemma that threatens their global competitiveness. Increasing tariffs and unpredictable policies in the US, coupled with aggressive competition from emerging domestic Chinese automakers, are squeezing European firms in their two largest markets. This dual pressure is forcing automakers to seek new growth regions, notably in South America, but political obstacles within Europe risk delaying critical trade agreements....

As the automotive sector pivots toward autonomous driving technologies, Taiwan's optics industry is rapidly evolving from a consumer electronics supplier into a critical player in advanced vehicle sensing systems. The transition reflects broader shifts in automotive design where cameras serve as fundamental sensory organs rather than peripheral accessories, driving new technical and commercial demands....

As Taiwan-US tariff negotiations near finalization, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan signals potential vehicle price reductions on US-made models, reflecting prospective customs duty cuts. The expected adjustments could impact about a quarter of the company's local sales, with broader implications for Taiwan's luxury car market....

Kinpo Group held its annual year-end party on January 21, during which company chairman Jerry Hsu highlighted that US tariff policies in early 2025 had temporarily stalled the global consumer market. With Kinpo and AcBel Polytech's main product lines closely tied to consumer electronics, the company's operations faced significant pressure in the first half of 2025. However, as the market gradually absorbed the policy uncertainties, and with emerging demand from artificial intelligence (AI), memory modules, fuel cells, data centers, and server power supplies, operations began to show signs of recovery in the second half....

New Delhi has raised the basic customs duty (BCD) on imported flat panel displays to 20% while lowering duties on open cells and key display components to 5%, in a policy move aimed at strengthening domestic electronics manufacturing and correcting an inverted duty structure. India's Finance Ministry announced the changes as part of India's broader "Make in India" initiative, according to The Times of India, Hindu Business Line, and Z Business....

Kinpo Group's subsidiary AcBel Polytech officially launched a 1MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power system solution designed specifically for AI data centers during the group's annual celebration on January 21, 2026. The move reflects an increasing strategic focus on AI-related power products, which accounted for around 20% of AcBel's total revenue in 2025. The company aims to raise this share to 30% in 2026, indicating that AI data center power systems are becoming a core growth driver in AcBel's business portfolio....

SEALSQ Corp, a developer of semiconductors and post-quantum technology solutions, announced on January 21, 2026, that it has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat and Kaynes SemiCon Private Limited, a subsidiary of Kaynes Technology India Limited. The agreement outlines plans to develop India's first Secure Semiconductor Design, Test, and Personalization Center focused on post-quantum cryptography technologies....

As demand accelerates for satellite connectivity and AI in space, China's push into orbital computing is showing new momentum....

Pan-International has outlined a significant strategic pivot following its joint acquisition with Foxconn Technology Group of Belgian axial flux motor manufacturer Magnax, indicating a move beyond its core wiring harness and precision components business into the humanoid robotics sector. The acquisition addresses a crucial gap in power system technology and is positioned as a foundational step toward Pan-International's broader ambitions in the robotics industry....