A*Star launches new semiconductor R&D platforms to help deepen innovation
Singapore is gearing up for the electric vehicle wave, with new R&D platforms launched by A*Star giving local firms access to new materials that are critical for EV technologies. Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Tan See Leng, shared this during a semiconductor conference attended by over 700 companies from 23 countries. Singapore will also open the world's first industry-grade R&D line for silicon carbide, a material that is set to be a game-changer in semiconductor chipmaking. Nasyrah Rohim reports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Independent Singapore
42 minutes ago
- Independent Singapore
Singapore urges calm as PM Wong calls for balance in a world caught between superpowers
CHINA: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's prominent official visit to China, his first sanctioned tour outside Southeast Asia since taking office in May, has underscored Southeast Asia's larger diplomatic plan—an expanding commitment to multilateralism amidst growing ambiguity about U.S. engagement in the region. According to the latest SCMP report, the five-day trip, which coincides with the 35th anniversary of China-Singapore ambassadorial bonds, comes on the heels of a robust electoral triumph for Wong's dominant party. A strategic debut: Wong's China visit signals ASEAN's priorities Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Summer Davos in Tianjin, Wong stressed the value of overhauling old-fashioned global agendas to mirror today's digital and economic realities. He mentioned Singapore's initiatives, along with those of Japan and Australia, to formulate innovative global guidelines for e-commerce. This effort now has the support of more than 70 nations, as a classic example of realistic and logical collaboration among 'like-minded' states. 'This is painstaking work, but there is no alternative,' Wong said. 'A new system doesn't appear by magic—you have to build it.' See also World Bank Growth Forecast Down for Asia Xi's multipolar vision meets ASEAN caution Chinese President Xi Jinping resonated similar demands for fighting 'unilateral bullying' and being on 'the right side of history,' indirectly disparaging U.S. trade protectionism. Nevertheless, specialists continue to be doubtful about whether China will support its pomposity with practical policy changes. Chin-Hao Huang, a political science professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, noted that ASEAN's objectives are to diminish geopolitical aggression, endorse negotiations, and preserve a rules-based order, which aligns with Wong's message. 'To what extent is China going to live up to the expectations of being a responsible stakeholder,' he said. The U.S., Huang added, has shown diverse indicators, hesitating between advocating transnational guidelines and withdrawing into separatist tactics. This contradiction, predominantly under President Donald Trump, has deepened ASEAN's drive to strengthen regional multilateral institutions without over-dependence on any global force. ASEAN hedging in an era of great power rivalry As the U.S. commitment falters, Southeast Asia appears to be silently reassessing, reframing its allegiances, and changing course. A recent Foreign Affairs article contended that nations across the region are 'gradually but discernibly' slanting toward China, even as many profess noninvolvement. Scholars Yuen Foong Khong and Joseph Liow found that while Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have continued to adopt successful evasion approaches, others, such as Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, are evidently aligned with China. See also PM Lee: ASEAN may have to choose sides in US-China standoff Benjamin Ho from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies clarified that Wong wanted to prompt China that a firm and unchanging, rules-based structure would benefit Beijing just as much as its neighbors. 'Given the uncertainty of American commitment to the region, countries in the region, including China, have the responsibility to sort of ensure that the multilateral order doesn't vanish or get totally wrecked,' he stated. Wong recapped Singapore's pledge to maintain solid and durable ties with all major powers, including the U.S., EU, India, and Japan. This calculated balancing act, predictors infer, allows Singapore to function as a political conduit in a progressively diverged world. The future of multilateralism: Rhetoric or reality? While Wong's visit produced new commitments to strengthen and develop bilateral collaboration in areas such as AI, green finance, and digital trade, questions remain about the usefulness of what he calls 'flexible multilateralism.' The model highlights flexible, consensus-driven collaboration among eager partners, distinct from the unyielding, obsolete international institutions that have fought in order to advance. See also Carey Island to get mega port However, with the United States withdrawing from free trade treaties like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and even halting WTO subsidies, many ASEAN adherents are turning to China-led efforts, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to sustain economic impetus. 'The global economic configuration has changed,' Huang said. 'China is now the world's second-largest economy, and Southeast Asia must adjust to reflect that reality, without abandoning the principles that have underpinned its growth and stability.' To that end, Singapore's message is strong and clear-cut—it is not picking sides, but defending and supporting a multilateral future that is adaptable, wide-ranging, and well-matched to a world that is no longer defined exclusively by post-World War II institutions.
CNA
3 hours ago
- CNA
VinFast opens second domestic EV factory amid global expansion
HANOI :Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast began production on Sunday at its second domestic factory, aiming to ramp up output of affordable mini urban models as its global expansion plans face delays. The new facility, located in the central province of Ha Tinh, has an initial annual capacity of 200,000 units and spans 36 hectares (90 acres), the company said in a statement. By comparison, VinFast's flagship factory in northern Haiphong is designed to reach a capacity of 950,000 units by next year. VinFast, backed by Vietnam's largest conglomerate Vingroup, has set ambitious goals to establish production plants in international markets, including the United States, India, and Indonesia. However, it has faced hurdles in its global expansion, including weaker demand and stiff competition. The company announced last year that operations at its U.S. factory would be delayed until 2028. Its India assembly plant is expected to become operational next month. "Once operational, the VinFast Ha Tinh factory will contribute to VinFast's goal of producing 1 million vehicles per year to meet the increasing demand of domestic and foreign markets," said Nguyen Viet Quang, Vingroup's CEO. The EV maker has set a delivery target of 200,000 cars for 2025, having sold approximately 56,000 units in the first five months, primarily in its domestic market. It reported a net loss of $712.4 million for the first quarter, less than the $1.3 billion loss in the previous quarter but 20 per cent more than a year earlier. Revenue jumped 150 per cent to $656.5 million over the same period.
CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
China's humanoid robots generate more football excitement than their human counterparts
BEIJING: While China's men's football team hasn't generated much excitement in recent years, humanoid robot teams have won over fans in Beijing based more on the AI technology involved than any athletic prowess shown. Four teams of humanoid robots faced off in fully autonomous 3-on-3 football matches powered entirely by artificial intelligence on Saturday (Jun 28) night in China's capital in what was touted as a first in China and a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games, set to take place in Beijing. According to the organisers, a key aspect of the match was that all the participating robots operated fully autonomously using AI-driven strategies without any human intervention or supervision. Equipped with advanced visual sensors, the robots were able to identify the ball and navigate the field with agility They were also designed to stand up on their own after falling. However, during the match several still had to be carried off the field on stretchers by staff, adding to the realism of the experience. China is stepping up efforts to develop AI-powered humanoid robots, using sports competitions like marathons, boxing, and football as a real-world proving ground. Cheng Hao, founder and CEO of Booster Robotics, the company that supplied the robot players, said sports competitions offer the ideal testing ground for humanoid robots, helping to accelerate the development of both algorithms and integrated hardware-software systems. He also emphasised safety as a core concern in the application of humanoid robots. 'In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans. That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe,' Cheng said. 'For example, a robot and a human could play a match where winning doesn't matter, but real offensive and defensive interactions take place. That would help audiences build trust and understand that robots are safe.' Booster Robotics provided the hardware for all four university teams, while each school's research team developed and embedded their own algorithms for perception, decision-making, player formations, and passing strategies—including variables such as speed, force, and direction, according to Cheng. In the final match, Tsinghua University's THU Robotics defeated the China Agricultural University's Mountain Sea team with a score of 5–3 to win the championship. Mr Wu, a supporter of Tsinghua, celebrated their victory while also praising the competition. 'They (THU) did really well,' he said. 'But the Mountain Sea team (of Agricultural University) was also impressive. They brought a lot of surprises.'
