The annual Shangri-La Dialogue, considered the most important defense and security conference in the Asia-Pacific region, was held this year in Singapore at the end of May. For this year’s conference, however, China kept a low profile by sending a deputy president from its National Defense University, a move seen as its attempt to minimize the significance of the conference.

Singapore authorities have filed additional fraud and money laundering charges against four individuals and brought fresh charges against four companies, as part of an investigation linked to the movement of servers that may have contained Nvidia artificial intelligence chips subject to US export controls. The case has been reported by multiple outlets, including CNA, The Straits Times, and Reuters.

The smartphone market’s traditional peak season in the second half of 2026 remains under close watch. However, Android smartphone vendors—particularly Chinese brands—have reportedly begun another round of shipment forecast cuts, reducing projections by 10-30%. Procurement is expected to become increasingly conservative for mid-range and entry-level models, leaving inventory build-up for the peak season largely concentrated on flagship and premium devices.

Large-size display driver ICs (DDIs) were a key revenue driver for many DDI suppliers during the first half of 2026. Taiwanese manufacturers said early notebook inventory build-up beginning in the first quarter of 2026, together with television restocking ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, allowed large-size DDI shipments to outperform the traditional seasonal slowdown.