Taiwan is more than semiconductors and geopolitics. Shaped by migration, colonial history, democratisation and technological ambition, the island has developed a distinctive society whose identity continues to evolve through the many historical layers it carries.
What appeared to be a conventional industry expo in Singapore revealed something far more consequential: a region aligning industry, capital and state power around photonics — the physical backbone of artificial intelligence, data infrastructure and future economic competitiveness in the emerging global order.
For years, global markets were dominated by narratives of American exceptionalism and the AI-driven rally on Wall Street. In 2025, however, the story changed. Asian markets broadly outperformed their Western counterparts, signaling a historic turning point. From sustained gains across equities to strategic shifts in investor sentiment, the region emerged as a central engine of global financial growth. For Altair Media Asia, understanding the forces behind this shift is crucial as we look toward 2026.
