➀ Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) has shifted its focus from Japan to India for a new $10.9 billion semiconductor fab project; ➁ The decision follows the dissolution of PSMC's earlier planned project in Japan; ➂ The new fab will be built in Gujarat, India.

➀ Powerchip Semiconductor, the Taiwanese foundry, has abandoned its plan to build a fab in Japan in favor of constructing one in India. The company had previously entered into a partnership with SBI Holdings to build a 40k wpm fab in Sendai, Japan, starting with 40nm technology and moving to 28nm with volume production scheduled for 2027. The partnership has now been dissolved as Powerchip seeks to provide technology for a fab to be built in India by Tata. ➁ Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata, and Powerchip chairman Frank Huang, where PSMC expressed interest in expanding its presence in India. ➂ Powerchip and Tata have agreed to collaborate on a fab in Gujarat, India, with Tata providing the funding and Powerchip providing the process technology for PMICs and display drivers.

➀ The NSTC reports that China's semiconductor industry is 10 years behind Taiwan's; ➁ The focus is on the significance of advanced technology and innovation in the chip industry; ➂ The need for Taiwan to preserve its competitive advantage is highlighted; ➃ The strategies and investments of Taiwan in the chip sector are discussed.

➀ Yuan Cheng Semiconductor, a Taiwanese silicon photonics company, has partnered with AMD for research and development of next-generation silicon photonics technology; ➁ Chen Xianwei, the co-founder of Yuan Cheng Semiconductor, has a background in investment and finance, and sees the future in 'light'; ➂ Yuan Cheng Semiconductor aims to have its own manufacturing capabilities and has acquired Shianfa Optoelectronics, a laser epitaxy factory.

➀ Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC) is withdrawing from plans to establish a chip plant in Japan due to financial constraints. ➁ PSMC has communicated its decision to SBI Holding, a Japanese financial services group. ➂ The agreement to build a facility in Miyagi prefecture, northeastern Japan, will be terminated.

➀ Electronics production in developed countries is showing slow growth or decline in 2024; ➁ Taiwan and South Korea have seen strong growth, driven by AI servers and smartphones; ➂ Vietnam and India are experiencing significant production growth, with Vietnam benefiting from Samsung's investment and India from multinational manufacturing; ➃ China remains dominant but growth has slowed as companies shift manufacturing overseas.

➀ Saxony, Germany, a leading European semiconductor hub, is deepening its ties with Taiwan, as TSMC expands its European footprint. ➁ The strategic partnership aims to position Saxony as a global semiconductor powerhouse, centered in Dresden's 'Silicon Saxony'. ➃ The collaboration extends to electric vehicles (EVs) and robotics.

➀ AMD has concealed Taiwan branding on Ryzen CPU packaging ahead of China market launch; ➁ The company has used a black sticker to erase origin information; ➂ This follows a history of China's prohibition on mentioning Taiwan on product packaging.

➀ Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (VIS) and Episil Technologies Inc. announce a strategic partnership to build an 8-inch SiC wafer fab in Taiwan; ➁ VIS acquires a 13% stake in Episil for NT$2.48 billion; ➂ The joint venture is a significant step in the SiC wafer manufacturing industry.

➀ Taiwan accuses several Chinese semiconductor companies of illegally recruiting its engineers and stealing proprietary technologies. ➁ A recent investigation identified eight Chinese firms, including Naura Technology, as violators of Taiwanese law. ➂ Naura has denied any wrongdoing, stating that its operations in Taiwan comply with all local laws and regulations.

➀ Corporations like AMD, ASML, Alphabet, Micron, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Yahoo have invested $25 billion in Taiwan over the past seven years, indicating a discounting of the risk of China invading Taiwan. ➁ Foreign direct investment in Taiwan has increased by 61% from 2018-2023 compared to the previous period. ➂ Major investments in AI, cloud services, and renewable energy sectors by global firms suggest a collective corporate view that minimizes the threat of conflict between China and Taiwan.

➀ AMD is discussing with the Taiwan government to set up two new R&D centers in Tainan and Kaohsiung. ➁ The investment amounts to $270 million, with additional support from the Taiwanese government. ➂ The centers will focus on AI, silicon photonics, and heterogeneous integration, employing around 400 people.

➀ AMD has selected Tainan and Kaohsiung for its new R&D centers, part of an NT$8.64 billion project focused on AI and silicon photonics. ➁ The decision aims to develop Taiwan into an 'AI silicon island'. ➂ AMD's investment is supported by a subsidy of NT$3.31 billion.

➀ MediaTek is set to distribute employee bonuses totaling nearly 13 billion TWD, with an estimated 1.2 million employees eligible, averaging 1.05 million TWD per person. ➁ The bonuses are expected to be issued in late August, marking a 70% increase from the previous year and the highest in two years. ➂ The actual amount received by each employee varies based on performance and other factors, with the total bonus amount linked to the company's pre-tax profits.

➀ A 6.1-magnitude earthquake occurred near Hualien, Taiwan, with no reported damage at the Hsinchu Science Park. ➁ TSMC, UMC, and other semiconductor factories reported no need for evacuation or significant impact on operations. ➂ AUO and Innolux confirmed the safety of personnel and normal operation of life support systems. ➃ The previous major earthquake in April caused significant disruptions, including wafer breakage and machine downtime, affecting the production of Nvidia chips and leading to halted quotations from Samsung and other memory chip manufacturers.

1. The chip industry faces significant challenges due to potential China restrictions and Trump's pressure on Taiwan. 2. US plans to further restrict sales of chip equipment to China, targeting mainly non-US companies like ASML and Tokyo Electron. 3. The potential loss of China market could severely impact US semiconductor equipment companies' profitability.

1. Apple is rumored to be setting up a new AI datacenter in Taiwan, joining tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. 2. Negotiations with third-party manufacturers, including Foxconn, are underway. 3. The move is part of a broader trend of increased AI server purchases and a push for 'green electricity' in Taiwan.

1. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang visited Taiwan for Computex 2024 and met tech partners. 2. He mentioned NVIDIA's annual growth exceeds $100 billion, mostly manufactured in Taiwan. 3. AI has benefited Taiwan and its companies, and NVIDIA is leading the AI GPU market. 4. Jensen encourages young people to focus on learning and doing their best. 5. He aims for NVIDIA to embrace challenges and learn from failures, not just pursue financial growth.