Commentary: TSMC weighs U.S. chip dominance demands while guarding its Taiwan roots

US President Donald Trump, now back in the White House, has once again set his sights on TSMC. Previously, his administration championed the semiconductor supply chain crisis as a national security issue, urging the Taiwanese chip giant to establish manufacturing in the US. Now, the stakes have risen—Trump is threatening to freeze CHIPS Act subsidies, impose new semiconductor taxes, and, in an even more audacious move, reportedly demand that TSMC step in to save Intel.

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CCP Contact Probes targets AI chip supply chain with advanced packaging solutions

Benefiting from the booming demand for testing related to artificial intelligence (AI), CCP Contact Probes, a probe development and manufacturing company, has optimized its product structure and is making strides in the semiconductor and electric vehicle (EV) sectors. Recently, positive news has emerged regarding test sockets and probes, which are expected to penetrate the advanced packaging supply chain for AI chips.

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Drones offer a unique mix of benefits, with lens demand matching robotics

The demand for automotive lenses appears to be on an upward trajectory, while machine vision and drone applications are simultaneously capturing widespread attention. In this context, manufacturers of automotive lens modules assert that the demand for drone lenses will not only match but may even surpass that of robotics. This market, characterized by small-batch, high-variety production, is particularly conducive to fostering product and technological differentiation.

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DeepSeek ignites cost hopes, but edge AI struggles continue, expert cautions

China’s startup, DeepSeek, has unveiled a low-cost open-source AI model, igniting optimism in the market about potential reductions in AI costs and advancements in edge computing. The company’s continued open-source initiatives have been met with positive feedback from developers, underscoring growing enthusiasm for accessible AI tools. However, Ubitus’s CEO, Wesley Kuo caution that while DeepSeek’s large model holds promise, it remains better suited for cloud-based applications at this stage. The company still faces significant challenges in the edge AI space, where established models from competitors continue to hold sway.

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Panjit anticipates growth in AI PCs and servers

Although AI PCs underperformed market expectations in 2024, many industry players, from power semiconductor manufacturers to system providers, believe that significant growth will occur in the second half of 2025 as technology advances. Taiwanese power component manufacturer Panjit aims to capitalize on opportunities in the AI PC market through a diversified product line while also introducing its low-dropout regulator (LDO) products into the server sector, hoping to drive operational growth with AI servers.

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Chinese smartphone brands enjoyed growth in 4Q24 before a close to 10% decline in 1Q25, says DIGITIMES

With non-Chinese markets entering their traditional off-season and the Chinese market lacking a nationwide shopping promotion event, overall smartphone shipments by Chinese brands are expected to decrease by 9.7% on quarter in the first quarter of 2025 after enjoying good sequential growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to DIGITIMES’ latest report covering China’s smartphone industry.

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Taiwan risks missing 2025 green energy target as wind projects stall

Taiwan’s renewable energy ambitions are facing mounting hurdles, as regulatory and logistical challenges slow the rollout of solar photovoltaic (PV) and offshore wind projects. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has lowered its renewable energy generation target from 20% to 15% by the end of 2025. However, even this reduced goal appears increasingly unattainable, with renewables accounting for just 12% of Taiwan’s total electricity generation as of 2024.

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Taiwan’s maritime defense: Huilong & Kuachi underwater drones under spotlight

As global interest in unmanned vehicles expands beyond aerial drones, the development of surface vessels and underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) is gaining increased attention. In the past several years, countries like the US and China have invested substantial resources in enhancing fully autonomous and semi-autonomous platforms for both surface and underwater operations. Given Taiwan’s geographic position surrounded by water, industry experts emphasize that developing UUVs is essential, despite development hurdles being significantly greater than those faced in aerial drone systems.

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