South Korea’s chip crown becomes a strategic burden

South Korea’s leadership in DRAM, NAND, and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) is becoming a strategic liability amid rising US-China friction. With SK Hynix and Samsung holding a combined 70% of DRAM and more than half the NAND market, the country anchors a supply chain vital for AI training and HPC workloads. A single disruption could trigger global price shocks and shortages, particularly in AI computing and mobile devices.

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Apple’s stable foundation and diversified supply reduce tariff impact, but industry experts remain cautious

The US Court of International Trade ruled on May 28, 2025, that US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are invalid. Yuan-Kai Chung, chairman and president of Audix, commented that Trump may find other ways to pressure specific companies. However, the tariff impact on Apple is relatively limited. The real focus remains on overall market innovation momentum and consumer willingness to upgrade devices.

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China steps up measures to quell auto market chaos

China’s car market has been grappling with the fallout from intense competition and cutthroat price slashing, forcing the government to repeatedly intervene. Misleading marketing language promising autonomous or smart driving has been banned since April 2024, and more recently China’s Ministry of Commerce has hosted a conference with automakers and industry representatives to address the issue of zero-mileage secondhand cars.

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EDA cutoff lays bare China’s design fragility in advanced semiconductors

China’s semiconductor sector is reeling from reports that Siemens EDA has been instructed by the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to suspend all EDA-related services and support in China. The move may expand to include Synopsys and Cadence, effectively cutting off all three global EDA giants. The ban reportedly encompasses not only software access but also platform-integrated IP, signaling a broader and more aggressive crackdown than previously anticipated.

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How to invest in the US? Government incentives at all levels to attract investment

Recently, US President Donald Trump’s visit to Middle Eastern countries brought several trillion US dollars in investments and procurement deals with the US, becoming a major topic of discussion. Investing in American manufacturing to reduce trade deficits—especially in cutting-edge technologies related to national security and priorities of the Trump administration—is one of the most effective tools in tariff and trade negotiations.

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TCC shifts from high-carbon industries to green energy, focusing on AI and new energy investments

In recent years, traditional industries in Taiwan, such as petrochemicals and cement, have been severely impacted by global political and economic conditions. Taiwan Cement Corporation (TCC) chairman An-Ping Chang stated that 2025 will be a very complex year. In the first half of 2025, operational abnormalities at factories and short-term fluctuations in the Turkish currency affected business performance, making this year particularly challenging.

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