The administration of US President Donald Trump has implemented exceptionally high anti-dumping tariffs on solar modules imported from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. Most notably, Cambodia faces tariffs as high as 3,521% due to its lack of cooperation during investigations. This action reflects the administration’s firm approach to combating “origin-washing,” a practice where manufacturers reroute products through third countries to circumvent US trade restrictions. Market experts indicate that tariffs above 60% typically disrupt bilateral trade, and rates exceeding 3,500% effectively result in an almost complete halt of imports from the affected countries.
Taiwan’s industrial PC (IPC) manufacturers are intensifying efforts to localize production and expand their presence in North America amid increasing tariff pressures from the US. Ennoconn has altered its initial strategy to build a factory in Mexico, choosing instead to set up a new facility in Tennessee, with operations expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025. Similarly, Advantech is considering the creation of a printed circuit board assembly and contract manufacturing center in the US, signaling a wider industry move toward domestic production as companies adapt to evolving trade policies.
China’s decision to tighten export controls on seven rare earth elements has sent global prices soaring more than threefold since early April, raising alarms across critical industries, particularly electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy.
South Korean prosecutors recently announced the indictment and detention of a former Samsung Electronics researcher suspected of leaking core semiconductor technology secrets, developed with an investment of KRW1.6 trillion (US$1.1 billion), to China’s leading DRAM manufacturer, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT). Samsung may have suffered revenue losses amounting to tens of trillions of Korean won due to this security breach.
Siyoung Choi, president of Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions (DS) division, recently led a senior executive delegation to Silicon Valley, foregoing South Korea’s extended May holidays. The week-long trip focused on meetings with major US tech firms—including Apple, Nvidia, and Broadcom—to shore up demand across Samsung’s semiconductor portfolio, from DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to foundry services. US tariff policy was also a key topic on the agenda.
Compared to TVs, IT panels are more affected by tariffs. As a result, during the tariff exemption period, LCD monitor brands have continued strong inventory buildup and accepted slight panel price increases. For notebook panels, although demand remains steady, supply capacity is relatively ample, keeping market supply and demand balanced and prices stable.
RF front-end supplier RichWave held an investor conference to share its market outlook. The company noted that although tariff conditions remain uncertain, client orders have not yet undergone significant adjustments. Operationally, RichWave expects second-quarter 2025 performance to be on par with the previous quarter.