A Taiwan-US supply chain partnership forum held in Taipei alongside the US Business Day on September 19 saw delegations of government and corporate representatives from both sides exploring investment and cooperation opportunities in the fields of cybersecurity, 5G communication and electric vehicles. Key American delegates included Laurie Locascio, director of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and concurrently the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, as well as Arizona governor Katie Hobbs and New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

In the past, the forefront of space development was primarily occupied by governments. However, in recent years, there has been a gradual shift towards private enterprises taking the lead, ushering in a new era of commercialization in space exploration. A prime example is SpaceX, which currently manages a constellation of approximately 4,000 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, making it the global leader in satellite ownership among private companies and offering satellite services on a global scale.

The Taiwan Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) 2023 kicked off with 45 local companies, academic institutions, and entities participating in the Taiwan Space Pavilion, showcasing emerging space technologies such as satellite and rocket components. Taiwan's space industry, particularly in the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite sector, is experiencing a robust surge in opportunities.

The commercial space sector is currently experiencing rapid growth, and Chun-Liang Lin, the former director of Taiwan Space Agency, emphasizes the importance for Taiwan to seize this momentous opportunity. Alongside the strategic planning of space industry hubs and the reinforcement of the supply chain, Taiwan should actively nurture a pool of space technology talent and establish a national team to effectively compete in the global market.

According to the most recent data from the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) , the global space economy was estimated to be valued at US$384 billion in 2022, with the satellite industry contributing significantly at 73.1% (approximately US$280.8 billion) of this total.

Ukraine's resilience at war with Russia is notable. Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites and drones have played pivotal roles, drawing worldwide attention to the technological potential embedded in these innovations.

Asustek is taking legal action against Samsung Electronics, contending that Samsung has infringed on its wireless communication patents. The firm is taking the offensive while it has usually been taking the opposite side. The move indicates high confidence on Asustek's part.

Taiwan-based network device companies have seen a substantial pickup in customer orders from the Asia Pacific region, particularly India, since the second half of 2023, according to company sources.

Following the Ukraine war, global attention shifted towards the advancement of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication technology, igniting opportunities across the satellite market. When considering Taiwan's role and strategic positioning amidst the LEO satellite surge, the director general of Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), Dr. Wu Jong-Shinn, emphasized two driving forces. Firstly, government investments in infrastructure and the knowledge gained from launching the Formosat satellite series into space played a pivotal role. Secondly, the transformation of businesses from pure manufacturing to gaining system integration knowhow became imperative for maximizing profitability.

The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) is a prominent player in Taiwan's aerospace sector, extending its influence from sky to space. AIDC is deeply involved in various airborne vehicles, ranging from supporting the testing and mass production of drones for national defense to its origins in manufacturing aircraft components. AIDC's expertise in designing and producing composite material structures is highly esteemed, including its past contributions to creating heat dissipation systems for instruments on the International Space Station. In recent years, AIDC is also positioning itself to play a crucial role in international low-earth orbit(LEO) satellite competitions.

Taiwan, a pivotal player in the global information and communication supply chain, is strategically positioning itself to enter the thriving international market for low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites while fortifying its digital resilience. The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has outlined its ambition to launch Taiwan's inaugural homegrown communication experimental satellite in 2025, with the goal of capitalizing on opportunities within the next-generation communication sector.

The unexpected release of Huawei's Mate 60 Pro has captured the public's attention due to its support for satellite calling capabilities, reigniting buzz about satellite to cellular communication.

Rapidtek, a wireless RF testing firm, teamed up with global partners at SEMICON Taiwan 2023 to exhibit mmWave communication measurement solutions and capitalize on high-frequency antenna prospects.

SpaceX employed Starlink to assist Ukraine in overcoming communication barriers at war, showcasing the adaptable and resilient communication capabilities of satellites. In response to this development, Mantaray, a company originally founded in the US and operating in Taiwan, has recognized not only promising opportunities in maritime satellite communication but also the shortcomings of the prevailing satellite communication technology time-division multiple access (TDMA). Consequently, Mantaray has devised preamble sense multiple access (PSMA) satellite communication technology as a proactive strategy to aggressively target the Asia-Pacific market.

In a surprising move, Huawei unveiled its latest 5G smartphone at the end of August, strategically timing its release ahead of Apple's anticipated 2023 smartphone launch. Beyond its notable 5G capabilities, Huawei's new smartphone has garnered attention for its groundbreaking satellite communication feature. This development positions Huawei as a contender in the satellite communication arena, putting it in direct competition with Apple.

As photonic integrated circuits (PIC) begins to garner growing attention in light of its vast potential in data centers, telecommunications and automotive, the technology has also emerged as the overarching theme of Dutch-Taiwan semiconductor cooperations.

In the escalating trade tension between China and the United States, Huawei has been doubling down on its 5G mobile technology. According to industry insiders, Huawei has also been stockpiling essential mobile phone components, such as power amplifiers (PAs) and other essential communication chips, as a precautionary measure against potential new sanctions.

The initial challenge in Taiwan's drone industry stemmed from its small domestic market. It wasn't until the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war that drone technology gained global attention, both for military and civilian applications.

Huawei's re-entry into the 5G smartphone market has caused a stir and caught the industry off guard by its unveiling of the Mate 60 Pro, its newest flagship smartphone. While the primary focus remains on whether Huawei can reclaim its peak position in the smartphone market, there's widespread speculation about whether the phone genuinely integrates a 5G chip. Reports suggest that the satellite call service comes with a monthly fee of CNY200, offering 200 minutes of communication, but its usage is restricted to within China.

A major recent breakthrough in the low earth orbit(LEO) satellite sector has been the long-awaited resurgence of profitability for SpaceX in the first quarter of 2023, marking the end of a two-year period of financial losses. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), SpaceX recorded a revenue of US$1.5 billion and a profit of US$55 million in the initial quarter. Notably, the revealed financial statements for 2022 also disclosed that SpaceX's total expenses in the same year reached US$5.2 billion, signifying a substantial rise from the $US3.3 billion spent in 2021. Moreover, revenue climbed to US$4.6 billion in 2022, resulting in a reduction of the annual loss to US$559 million.

Accton Technology is working with customers to develop network switches that can effectively meet the network transmission speed and adaptability needs of next-generation data centers and AI, according to the network device manufacturer. Accton plans to carry out proof of concept in 2024 and begin trial production in the second half of 2024.

Representatives of information and communications technology (ICT) companies, as well as chief technology officers of telecom firms and system integrators in Taiwan, squeezed into a crowded conference room of the Cloud Computing and IoT Association in Taiwan on August 22 to exchange ideas with peers to learn about landing an emerging technology for implementation in Japan and elsewhere.

Over the past year, the discourse surrounding satellite communication has gained significant momentum. Smart phone heavyweights like Apple and Huawei have ventured into incorporating direct satellite connectivity features into their devices, which infuses vibrancy into the sluggish mobile phone market.

GlobalFoundries has enhanced two of its technology platforms to enable critical applications for next-generation electric and autonomous vehicles, along with commitments from automotive suppliers, Robert Bosch and Inova Semiconductors. The pure-play foundry also announced the industry's first RFSOI foundry solution manufactured on 300mm wafers.

India-based conglomerate Reliance Industries announced more 5G and smart home offerings. The company said it will not miss the AI opportunities, planning to develop India-specific AI models and solutions.