A recent survey found that 36% of nearly 120 US manufacturers have already reshored or are actively reshoring production, while more than 60% have capital investment plans for doing so. Taiwan’s investment in the US is also rising, and Taiwanese firms’ moves will become clearer after the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (TEEMA) completes plans by the end of 2026 for overseas science parks in Texas and Arizona and begins soliciting investment.

South Korea and the US have hit an impasse in final-stage investment talks over commercial viability safeguards, with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung saying that some parts are hard to accept. The deadlock is raising concerns that the months-long negotiations over South Korea’s investment plans in the US could collapse.

Following the Legislative Yuan’s passage of the Act on Strengthening Defense Autonomy and Developing the Unmanned Vehicles Industry and its subsequent countersignature by the Executive Yuan, Taiwan’s drone industry is preparing for a potential new wave of government procurement, with tenders possibly emerging by the end of 2026. While the expected domestic orders could provide a boost, Taiwanese drone manufacturers are also accelerating overseas expansion to diversify their customer base and reduce reliance on local procurement.

Baipu Industrial Park, located on the border of Kaohsiung’s Gangshan and Ciaotou districts, broke ground on September 21 after receiving approval from Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs in March 2026. More than 20 semiconductor supply-chain companies, including TSMC, attended the ceremony, with the project expected to strengthen links across southern Taiwan’s semiconductor “S Corridor”.

Samsung Electronics has formed a dedicated organization to develop and deploy robots in its semiconductor fabs, with equipment preventive maintenance (PM) expected to be the first target as the chipmaker pushes automation into work that still depends heavily on engineers.

Major US and global automakers, suppliers and dealers with factories in the United States urged President Donald Trump to keep Chinese automakers out of the American market ahead of the September 24 US-China summit. In a rare coordinated move, the industry groups warned that allowing Chinese carmakers into the US would raise security and competitive risks.