Samsung SDI is collaborating with BMW and US-based solid-state battery firm Solid Power for a joint solid-state battery validation project. Following SK On, Samsung SDI will thus become the second of South Korea’s top three battery makers to partner with Solid Power, as Korean firms accelerate efforts toward commercializing solid-state batteries.

Indian solar manufacturers are scrambling to protect their US business after Washington imposed a 50% tariff on solar modules and cells imported from India, a move that has sharply disrupted one of the country’s fastest-growing export sectors.

The Chinese arm of Dutch semiconductor maker Nexperia has publicly accused its headquarters of owing more than CNY1 billion (approximately US$140 million) in unpaid fees, escalating an already fraught dispute between the two sides over control and supply-chain operations.

The recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has eased tensions between the two countries, de-escalating rare earth export controls and soybean trade barriers. It remains uncertain whether Trump will come up with other threats when dealing with China. But for Taiwan, the speculation about the US sacrificing the island nation in return for better ties with China has not materialized. Neither has the US taken concrete steps to impose semiconductor tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Taiwan’s manufacturing sector may gain momentum over the next two months if geopolitical and economic conditions remain stable.