As tension with Russia rises, German suppliers have begun to reflect on autonomy and the the potential repercussions of decoupling from China. The German commerce media Markt und Mittestand reported that German economists and industry representatives have put the strategic benefits of decoupling with China in doubt, especially given the labor shortage in the country. For the small and medium businesses (SMEs) contributing to more than half of the country’s GDP, production costs would also be higher, not to mention a full-blown trade war. According to a recent research conducted by the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research, if Germany ended up descending into a trade war with China, the damage would be six times that of Brexit in terms of costs, even if the United States helped to cushion the impacts.

With India’s demand for smart wearables and custom duties levied on wearables and components expected to rise, India’s wearable vendors and manufacturers are partnering on made-in-India products, hence reducing their reliance on imports from China.

LCD panel maker AU Optronics (AUO), in response to the United Nations SDG 12, has been boosting circular economy in products, manufacturing and supply chain, and has created circular economy benefits estimated at NT$7.99 billion (US$276 million) in 2021, according to the company.

Cable maker VSO Electronics will be listed on Pioneer Stock Board of the Emerging Stock Market at an initial price of NT$101 (US$3.18) per share on October 6, 2022, according to the company.