Compal Electronics’ PCB subsidiary, Allied Circuit Co., Ltd. (ACCL), has announced a joint venture with Japan’s Meiko to establish a high-layer count (HLC) printed circuit board plant in Vietnam. The new entity, tentatively named AlliedCircuitMeikoVietnam, will set up operations within Meiko’s new factory complex in Hoa Binh Province, northern Vietnam.

Isuzu Motors and Toyota Motor plan to develop hydrogen fuel cell-powered route buses, combining their respective technologies. Production is scheduled to begin in fiscal 2026, according to Nikkei and Yomiuri.

US-based foundry GlobalFoundries (GF) has faced numerous challenges in its China strategy, from halting investment in a 12-inch fab in Chengdu to shifting toward mature process partnerships. The company recently announced the opening of a new office in Beijing, signaling its commitment to navigating US-China tech tensions and domestic competition while deepening its presence in the Chinese semiconductor market.

Shanghai Zhaoxin Semiconductor has scored a breakthrough in China’s healthcare sector. On September 23, the x86 chipmaker announced that over 6,000 of its processor-powered desktops won a major hospital procurement bid, an important step for Chinese x86 CPUs in mission-critical medical deployments.