UiPath highlights Taiwan’s competitiveness in Asia-Pacific AI agent surge

Asia-Pacific enterprises are rapidly advancing AI adoption, with investments expected to grow from nearly US$90 billion in 2025 to US$176 billion by 2028, primarily focused on building agentic AI systems. On December 9, UiPath outlined six key AI agent development trends for 2026 in Taiwan, emphasizing the country’s leadership in the manufacturing and finance sectors as a model for global AI governance, deployment, and advancement.

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US eases H200 curbs, but China may no longer need the chip, says DIGITIMES analyst

In the latest episode of Tech Insights, DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin argues that Washington’s decision to lift export restrictions on Nvidia’s H200 accelerator to China signals a shift toward managing dependency rather than forcing decoupling. Yet he stresses an overlooked reality: China may no longer feel compelled to buy the H200 at all.

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China’s steel engine loses steam, rewrites the iron ore trade map

China’s slowdown, marked by weak consumption, a deep property slump, deflationary pressure, and softer investment, is weighing on steel production. The IMF expects GDP growth to ease to 4.8% in 2025 and 4.2% in 2026. With domestic ore mining falling, steelmakers are turning to cheaper imported low-grade ore that requires higher volumes to produce equivalent output. Taiwanese dry-bulk carriers say this substitution is lifting tonne-mile demand.

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South Korea targets new fabs, HBM leadership, fabless revamp in US$468bn chip push

South Korea has unveiled an expansive semiconductor strategy to secure its lead in next-generation memory and revive weaker segments such as logic chips and the domestic fabless sector. President Lee Jae-myung chaired a high-level government meeting with Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and policymakers, underscoring the urgency of reinforcing national competitiveness as global demand for AI semiconductors surges.

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China weighs Nvidia’s H200 amid US export shift and supply constraints

The US government’s decision to allow Nvidia to export its H200 AI chips to China has reopened a major channel for American semiconductor revenue, but whether Beijing will embrace the opportunity remains uncertain. In December 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the US would approve sales of Nvidia’s H200 to select Chinese customers under a strict licensing system, with a 25% revenue levy imposed on transactions.

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Taiwan firms target defense surge as NT$1.25 trillion budget nears approval

Taiwanese manufacturers are positioning themselves for defense-sector expansion as the government prepares a NT$1.25 trillion (approx. US$40 billion) special budget to accelerate domestic weapons production and strengthen supply chain autonomy. The initiative aligns with a global surge in military spending and is expected to create new opportunities for unmanned systems, aerospace maintenance, and satellite communications.

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