Taiwan’s technology news, quarterly across
December 2023 | November 2023 | October 2023
Across Q4 of 2023, Taiwan’s quarterly technology news coverage captured items and headlines including: Foxconn’s moves to diversify beyond semiconductors into other critical technologies fields including satellites; the creep of China’s digital yuan into Taiwan’s financial sector; Taiwan’s European satellite communications deal, essentially as a back-up system; and more.
Other editions: Asia’s tech news, daily (via LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter/X); and Indo-Pacific technology newsletters, weekly.
Also available:
Critical technologies news across Q4 2023
Critical technologies, quarterly: 4th quarter 2023 summary
December 2023
The Jamestown Foundation: China’s Grand Strategy For RISC-V
- US carrier, Delta Air Lines, is to resume services to Taiwan, flying nonstop from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from June
- Taiwan: Coalition for Digital Prosperity for Asia opens Taiwan Chapter, with overall DPA mission to support APAC governments and policymakers with digital economies and technologies
- Taiwan: More on Foxconn’s diversification moves into industries from electric vehicles to satellite technologies >>>
Despite a major presence in electronics including computers, servers, games machines and handsets, the company dedicated much of its annual showcase last month to electric vehicles. It’s developed at least five EVs of its own and is working with global carmakers including Stellantis NV to manufacture future models. A cameo from Nvidia Corp. founder Jensen Huang — to show off their joint development of AI servers — was one of the few hints that Foxconn is actually focused on anything beyond challenging Tesla Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp. in the global electric vehicle market.
Last weekend, another phase of Foxconn’s new future took flight from southern California. Among the payload of SpaceX’s Transporter 9 rocket were PEARL-1H and PEARL-1C, its first low-earth orbit satellites. There’s no money to be made from these two nanosatellites — instead the company is using them as a demonstration of its ability to build what amounts to computers that fly among the stars, devices that need to be robust, reliable and able to withstand the rigors of space travel.
- India, Taiwan and US reps met recently to discuss cybersercurity and digital issues, with Taiwan and US entering Global Cooperation and Training Framework to leverage Taiwan’s expertise
- Taiwan expands list of sanctioned items for Russia and Belarus, aligning with EU, US and others to limit high-tech goods for military purposes
EY 2024 Geostrategic Outlook – Thrive in ongoing geopolitical complexity
- Taiwan: YouTube’s co-founder discusses how he aims to bring Silicon Valley to Taiwan, with a focus on the country’s startup ecosystem
- 5G Alliance for Connected Industries & Automation, world’s largest 5G industrial alliance, held its annual Assembly in Taiwan, with MOU inked aligning Taiwan manufacturers with global IIoT standards
- Malaysia’s Selangor Info Tech & Digital Economy Corp, SIDEC, completes working visit to Taiwan, seeking cross-border collaborations in digital economy and talent training activities
“The visit included fruitful discussions on enhancing startups and e-commerce accelerator programmes and strengthening the digital ecosystem between Selangor and Taiwan. Additionally, the delegation’s stop at Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs showcased Taiwan’s commitment to leading digital democracy and innovation through modern digital tools and a collaborative culture.”
“The delegation’s comprehensive itinerary reflected these ambitions, exploring potential aviation collaborations that utilise the combined resources of Taoyuan and Selangor’s airports and aerospace centres. A significant visit to Pingtung University of Science and Technology was also conducted to explore advancements in agricultural practices.”
- India: Taiwan’s Foxconn to invest an additional $1.67BN in Karnataka state for iPhone manufacturing, with overall investments expected to create near 50,000 jobs
- China’s Luxshare, a key Apple production partner, to acquire major stake in iPhone assembly plant currently operated by Taiwan’s Pegatron in $300M deal, becoming serious competitor to Foxconn
- India, China & Taiwan’s Foxconn: “Manufacturing an entire iPhone 15 within India — that is going to be projected as a big moment not just for Apple, but [also] for India.”
Semiconductors in Key European and Indo-Pacific Economies: Geopolitical Risk in the Supply Chains into 2030 and Beyond
November 2023
MERICS: Chinese state-affiliated hacking for strategic goals
- Taiwan: Police have broken a money laundering operation involving $324M Tether cryptocurrency
- Taiwan: Food Industry R&D Institute establishes Plant Milk R&D Center to develop plant-based products and protein-rich milk alternatives
- Canada’s Telesat sets sights on Taiwan and South Korea with Lightspeed Constellation low Earth orbit satellite project
“Telesat’s Chief Commercial Officer, revealed that the team had already conducted several business meetings during their stay in Taiwan. A couple of corporate meetings and discussions with various government agencies, including the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA), and Telecom Technology Center (TTC), took place to inform stakeholders about the Telesat Lightspeed project.”
- ICYMI: US state of North Carolina opens new trade and investment office in Taiwan, adding to offices in Japan, Singapore and other locations
- Taiwan: An intro to the 8 tech startup teams selected to present at Web Summit 2023 in Portugal later this month
- Taiwan: Surglasses raised $6.5M Pre-A with augmented reality medical tech focusing on complex spinal surgeries, allows real-time 3D overlay on patients during procedures
MERICS: Fragmenting Cyberspace – The future of the internet in China
- Digital yuan enters Taiwan with locally-based firm issuing ‘ultra-short-term financing bonds’, launched by Xiamen Xiangyu Group and underwritten by China’s state-owned Industrial Bank
- ICYMI: The Academy of Women Entrepreneurs Indo-Pacific Women in Tech Summit recently took place in Taiwan
- An overview of the Taiwan Pavilion at Singapore FinTech Festival 2023, focusing on Taiwan’s fintech startups and innovations in finance
- Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom inks deal with Eutelsat OneWeb for low Earth orbit satellite services as backup for terrestrial fixed and mobile networks, undersea cables and microwave comms
- Taiwan: An intro to the 5 winning tech innovations selected by the 2023 Ideathon Awards
McKinsey: The economic potential of artificial intelligence
- Available now: “Relying on old enemies – The challenge of Taiwan’s economic ties to China”, a report from the Atlantic Council
- Taiwan’s Foxconn steps into space exploration as part of diversification moves with launch of 2 prototype low-Earth orbit satellites via SpaceX rocket, partnering Taiwan’s National Central Uni
“Foxconn’s foray into satellite technology aims to cater to the growing demand for communications from space, primarily targeting corporate and government clients. While SpaceX’s Starlink constellation has deployed over 5,000 LEO satellites, Foxconn is positioning itself to contribute to the sector’s growth.”
“The satellites’ launch underscores Foxconn’s broader strategy of diversification, initiated by Chairman Young Liu since taking over from founder Terry Gou in 2019.”
“The company has been exploring opportunities in electric vehicles, digital health, robotics, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and now, communications satellites.”
- Taiwan: Ministry of Health & Welfare inks MOU with US Healthcare Info & Mgmt Systems Society around system modernization and cybersecurity
- Taiwan: An overview of Taiwan’s moves into satellite-driven communications security
- Taiwan’s CyberLink targeted by North Korean hackers, modifying legitimate installer file to include malicious code for delivery to CyberLink customers in ‘supply chain’ hack
McKinsey & Co: Battery 2030 – resilient, sustainable and circular
- Malaysia: Penjana Kapital, gov’t-owned fund of funds, partners Taiwan’s APAC Investment & Innovation Development Association
- Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp to build $5.3BN factory in Japan, backed by SBI Holdings and the Japanese gov’t, in latest bid to expand Japan’s chip manufacturing base
“The foundry, to be built in Miyagi prefecture, will begin with mature 40nm and 55nm semiconductors, focus on automotive chips and power controllers and will go online in 2027, the companies said.”
“Japan, home to Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., is a heavy user of such chips, produced by the likes of Tokyo-based Renesas Electronics Corp.”
- Japan: Taiwan’s TSMC is reportedly considering a 3rd plant in Japan that will make 3-nm chips, potentially building on backing from Micron, Samsung and Japan’s PSM
- Taiwan’s iPhone maker Foxconn to invest an additional $1.6BN in India, adding to 9 production campuses and over 30 factories in the country
StormWall: DDoS attacks in Asia Pacific in Q3 2023
October 2023
pwc: 2024 Global Digital Trust Insights findings
- Taiwan: New Jersey Asia-Pacific Center to open in Taipei in 2024, marking the US state’s first full-time presence in the region, in bid to grow economic, academic and cultural ties
- Taiwan’s Foxconn and NVIDIA partner for AI-focused tech moves across a range of applications
- Taiwan: Taipei Gov’t moves to lift data security, finding 19 municipal offices using biometric attendance devices made or assembled in China and Thailand
- Taiwan’s Foxconn hit with economic coercion via tax audits and land use probes in China, likely in response to Foxconn founder standing for election in Taiwan
BryceTech: Small Satellites in 2023
- Taiwan: Gogoro launches CrossOver Smartscooter, built for existing network of over 1M swappable batteries and featuring a tougher task-oriented build than standard escooters
- Taiwan: An intro to a handful of the international startups that took part in the recent Meet Greater South event
- Taiwan’s MIH Consortium, a Foxconn-initiated open EV alliance, has licensed design and tech to M Mobility, a startup backed by India’s Tech Mahindra IT giant
- Thailand and Taiwan firms have satellites placed in orbit by European Space Agency ‘ride-sharing’ launcher Vega with other payloads from Spain, Austria and Estonia
- India: Taiwan’s Acer hardware and electronics brand launched its first e-scooter for the Indian market, featuring swappable batteries and 80km range
October 2023: Semiconductors, critical minerals, space tech & satellites
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