Taiwan Defense & Diplomacy: Taiwan’s MoFA protested Kenya blocking Taiwanese participation in the “Our Ocean Conference,” calling it China’s heavy-handed diplomacy that puts politics over ocean research. AI & Robotics: Alibaba unveiled its Qwen Robot Suite, pushing “embodied AI” from chat-style systems toward navigation, world modeling, and manipulation for real-world robots. Semiconductors & Foundry Race: Intel said its 18A-P process node has entered initial production, aiming to ramp high-volume output and grow its foundry business as Google and Nvidia explore Intel manufacturing. Cybersecurity: ESET reported Windows variants of SprySOCKS malware used by the China-aligned Earth Lusca group, including kernel-driver stealth targeting government organizations in Taiwan and elsewhere. Taiwan Tech Ecosystem: Startup World Cup Taiwan Hsinchu 2026 wrapped up with NunoX Tech winning, highlighting AI for textile intelligence and supply-chain decisions. Display Hardware: E Ink will debut large-format color ePaper at InfoComm 2026, targeting energy-saving signage and public information displays. Local Industry Moves: Amkor shares jumped after a 10-year TSMC partnership to expand advanced packaging in Arizona.