12
Feb
As global supply chains shift from globalization toward regionalization and the “China plus one” strategy persists, Singapore’s role in Southeast Asia has undergone a fundamental transformation. Once primarily a transshipment hub for trade, the city-state has evolved into a regional coordination and compliance center. Observations indicate that Taiwanese and Chinese companies are now utilizing Singapore to pursue distinctly different strategic approaches.
12
Feb
Samsung weighs Europe chip expansion after Intel retreat opens German window
Samsung is reportedly evaluating a potential European semiconductor expansion alongside its South Korea and US manufacturing base, as the region tightens local production requirements and Germany seeks a replacement for a cancelled flagship chip investment.
12
Feb
Commentary: Is the SpaceX-xAI merger a brilliant strategic move or a heavy financial risk?
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced the merger of xAI and SpaceX, creating a new entity valued at an astonishing US$1.25 trillion. However, some have raised concerns that this bold strategic move may prove to be a financial yoke on SpaceX, especially since, from a technical standpoint, it makes more sense to merge xAI with Tesla than with SpaceX.
12
Feb
AI agents hit commercial inflection point, disrupting software models and cloud economics
Silicon Valley’s long-anticipated commercial phase for AI agents accelerated this month. The viral rise of open-source personal assistant OpenClaw and the rapid adoption of Anthropic’s programming tool Claude Code signal a shift from experimental deployments to broad enterprise engagement.
12
Feb
Young Optics narrows losses as it shifts toward AI-focused products
After a series of operational adjustments, Young Optics narrowed its losses sharply in 2025, benefiting from an improved product mix and higher capacity utilization. The Taiwanese optical components maker reported a full-year net loss of about NT$9 million (approx. US$284,600), a dramatic improvement from the year before.
12
Feb
Laster banks on China subsidies, Tesla and Zeekr wins amid margin push
LED automotive lighting module maker Laster said it expects China’s car purchase subsidies and trade-in programs to stimulate domestic demand in the first quarter of 2026, and that overall end-market automotive demand should remain relatively robust.
12
Feb
Taiwan’s first homegrown satellite constellation returns high-resolution images
Taiwan’s first domestically developed satellite constellation, Formosat-8, has begun returning detailed images of Earth, marking a milestone in the island’s push to expand its presence in the global space industry.
12
Feb
TSMC spillover lifts Xintec testing orders, 2026 growth in sight
Xintec, the packaging and testing subsidiary of TSMC, held an investor conference in which Chairman CH Chen said full-year 2025 revenue maintained modest growth, driven primarily by a sharp increase in testing service revenue. However, high-margin optical diffractive element (DOE) packaging orders continued to decline after a 3D sensing customer adjusted its supplier strategy, putting pressure on overall gross margin and profitability.
12
Feb
Taiwan’s renewable backup mandate fuels energy storage growth
Taiwan’s government has mandated that renewable energy power sellers and generators must maintain “backup power capacity” to address the issue of intermittency and its impact on grid stability. The requirement is set at 10% for offshore wind and 3.3% for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Energy storage providers note that storage systems will become a key operational pillar for power sellers, allowing them to both fulfill backup capacity obligations and participate in trading on the electricity market.
12
Feb
MCU makers raise prices as packaging costs surge
The microcontroller unit (MCU) sector has emerged from inventory destocking in 2025, with the easing of US-China tariff tensions signaling a market recovery. Industry insiders expect improved demand and economic conditions in 2026 to drive growth momentum. However, rising wafer and packaging costs are pressuring manufacturers, prompting some to increase product prices to reflect higher packaging expenses.