[Weekly Taiwan Business News] Tesla AI Chip to TSMC US Production, Tanker Passes Strait of Hormuz, 1.74 Million Pet Cats, Tesla Poaching TSMC Talent, 'Amap' Banned [April 27, 2026 Issue]

Y's Consulting Group (Headquarters: Taipei City, Republic of China; Representative: Yasushi Yoshimoto), which delivers market trends and industry information from Taiwan, has released the April 27, 2026 issue of "Weekly Taiwan Business News," providing the latest business information from Taiwan. This issue elaborates on the ban of the Chinese map app "Amap" by the Taiwanese government and military, decided from a national security perspective. Additionally, it covers a wide range of topics, including Tesla's plan for next-generation AI chip production at TSMC's US factory, the movement of crude oil transport to Taiwan amidst the tense Middle East situation, and the latest data on "pet ownership (cats surpassing dogs for the first time)" in Taiwan, which clearly reflects changes in Taiwan's social structure. [Highlights] ■ Chinese Map App "Amap" Banned for Use by Government Agencies and Military The Chinese map app "Amap" (Gaode Ditu) had recently gained attention for releasing a new feature that accurately displays traffic light waiting times in Taiwan. However, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda) and the Ministry of National Defense have completely banned its use by government agencies and the military due to concerns that the app could endanger national security. Under Chinese law, the government has the authority to access corporate data, raising concerns about the risk of user location information and movement history being transferred to China. Experts warn that this data could be used to identify critical infrastructure locations and analyze behavioral patterns of military bases. ■ This Week's Featured Business & Economic Topics 1. Tesla's AI Chip "AI 6.5" to be Produced by TSMC in the US with 2nm Process Elon Musk, CEO of electric vehicle (EV) giant Tesla, announced that the latest chip for its next-generation driver-assistance feature "FSD," named "AI 6.5," will be produced at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)'s Arizona factory (Fab21) using a 2-nanometer manufacturing process. 2. 《Iran Military Conflict Related》FPMC Crude Oil Tanker Passes Strait of Hormuz A very large crude carrier (VLCC) named "FPMC Jun Shan," owned by Formosa Plastics Marine Corp. (FPMC), the shipping company of Formosa Plastics Group, safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 18th, which had been under a de facto blockade. 3. Taiwan's Pet Situation: Number of Pet Cats Reaches 1.74 Million, Surpassing Dogs for the First Time According to 2025 survey data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, the estimated number of pet cats in Taiwan reached 1,742,033 (an increase of 435,84 from the previous survey), surpassing the number of pet dogs (estimated at 1,462,528) for the first time in statistical history. ▼Supplementary explanations can also be viewed in the following video▼ This is the Weekly Taiwan Business News, delivering the latest business information from Taiwan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvFhjlhbHzo ■ Continuous Grasp of Taiwan Business Trends Y'sNews is an information service that delivers daily news on Taiwan's business, economy, and industry in Japanese. The latest news is delivered at 5 PM on weekdays, and a two-week free trial is available. ▼Details and application here▼ https://www.ys-consulting.com.tw/service/news/member.html#shidoku Company Name: Y's Consulting Group Location: 8F, No. 9 Xiangyang Road, Taipei City, Republic of China Representative: Yasushi Yoshimoto Established: November 1996 URL: https://www.ys-consulting.com.tw/ Business Activities: ・Management consulting (HR and labor, marketing, management strategy, information security) ・Human resource training (by hierarchy, by job type) ・Japanese Taiwan economic news, machinery industry journal distribution ・Market research, industry research, customer research ・Cloud service sales Y's Consulting Member Services Department e-mail: info@ys-consulting.com TEL: +886-22381-9711 (Japan time 10:00-19:00)