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May 8
Anduril's Ascendancy: From Silicon Valley outcast to defense unicorn rivaling Boeing
Palmer Luckey, once celebrated as the prodigy behind Oculus and virtual reality's mainstream breakthrough, found himself abruptly cast out of Silicon Valley's inner circle following his political donations during the 2016 US presidential election. After leaving Facebook (now Meta), Luckey established Anduril Industries, a defense technology company that quickly emerged as a major force in advancing military innovation.
Powertip Image (PTIC), a subsidiary of STN LCD panel manufacturer Powertip Technology, is actively developing niche products beyond notebook computer applications. Its product range includes medical endoscopes, robot vacuum cleaners, smart refrigerators, industrial computers, drones, and security surveillance systems. All these products have already seen actual shipments, mostly to top international brands.
Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corporation (CIRC), a subsidiary of Taiwan's Coretronic Group, is carving a niche in the global drone market, capitalizing on its non-red supply chain status to secure a competitive edge over the Chinese giant DJI. Despite acknowledging technological gaps, CIRC's strategic positioning and robust contract wins signal a promising trajectory, particularly in defense and commercial applications.
According to Daiji World, Optiemus Unmanned Systems (OUS), a division of Optiemus Infracom, has joined forces with Taiwan-based Avix Technology to co-develop and manufacture high-performance drone cameras, gimbals, and components in India.
Thunder Tiger Technology is broadening its unmanned vehicle portfolio from aerial drones to maritime vessels with its new flagship unmanned surface vessel (USV), the SeaShark800. The company announced that the vessel will participate in Taiwan's military research institute NCSIST's "Kuachi Project" performance tests in June 2025.
Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) is intensifying its international network infrastructure investments as it approaches its 30th anniversary in 2025, focusing on a resilient connectivity strategy spanning sea, land, space, and air to enhance global links and communication backup capabilities.
Following US President Donald Trump's executive orders implementing reciprocal tariff measures, the China-US trade war has escalated rapidly. China's response now extends beyond traditional trade items to impact the civil aviation industry, showing a more forceful stance than in previous disputes.
Auden Technology, a Taiwan-based RF and testing equipment manufacturer, reported the first-quarter 2025 revenue of NT$323 million (US$9.93 million), down 12.07% year-over-year amid seasonal weakness and delayed AI PC product launches.
Since US President Donald Trump took office, trade tensions between the US and China have escalated, although a recent easing of tariffs announced on April 23 suggests a more calibrated approach. Nevertheless, the overall competition between the two nations continues, with maritime issues becoming a significant area of focus.

In a bold escalation of its ongoing trade dispute with Washington, China has dramatically tightened its grip on the global supply of critical metals—imposing fresh export restrictions on rare earth elements and slashing shipments of gallium, germanium, and antimony, materials essential to technologies ranging from semiconductors to defense systems.

Taiwan is strengthening its asymmetric warfare capabilities through unmanned surface vessels (USVs), with both government and private sector companies developing technologies that could reshape the island's maritime defense posture.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), once shadowed by international concerns over China's overseas expansion, is now entering phase 2.0 amid the intensifying US-China trade war and global supply chain restructuring. Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently made frequent visits to Southeast Asia, with his state visit to Malaysia opening doors for the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) to enter the ASEAN market.
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