EE Times-Asia is now 20 years old. When it was launched in 1987, while Japan reigned supreme, South Korea and Taiwan were considered the rising stars. Mainland China, which opened its markets to the rest of the world about a decade ago, was starting to eye a share of the electronics riches.

Back then, large Korean OEMs like Samsung and LG were beginning to capture the lower end of the global electronics market. Small- and midsized companies in Taiwan, on the other hand, were writing a somewhat different story.

At a time when PC segments drove much of semiconductor demand, Taiwan OEMs and ODMs, along with Intel and Microsoft, acquired a key stake in the PC ecosystem. Eventually, Korean makers began their foray into high-end, high-margin wireless and consumer electronics products. Meanwhile, after firmly establishing themselves into the IT supply chain, Taiwan makers started venturing into the communications, consumer and automotive electronics sectors.

The story of the rise of electronics in Asia, however, won't be complete without mentioning mainland China's ascent into the electronics limelight. A legion of tech entrepreneurs invaded and succeeded in almost all facets of electronics manufacturing. The rest, as they say, is history.

In 1993, acknowledging this incredible shift, we rolled out our first local edition, Asian Sources Electronics Engineer China, in simplified Chinese. Local language editions for Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan subsequently came to market.

Another critical turning point came in 1999 when we embraced the then embryonic commercial Internet with the launch of our online publication. The depth and breadth of our online content offerings continued to grow over the years. The launch of application sites and webinars on www.eetchina.com in 2004 and 2006, respectively, were but two of the key milestones.

The defining moment came in August 2000 when Global Sources and CMP joined hands to create what's now undoubtedly a global brand. EE Times-Asia and its sister publications in mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan—in tabloid format—capitalized on CMP's international news network and Global Sources' strong presence across Asia.

Over the years, the global brand extended its reach from Europe to India to the land of the rising sun.

Two decades of editorial coverage chronicled the evolution of microprocessors, the highs and lows of memory chips, and the magic of RF, among other exciting developments. And what could be more thrilling than seeing process geometry dive from 1µm down to 65nm and below? The list goes on.

Despite the ups and downs, EE Times-Asia has had a fulfilling 20-year journey, and we believe that the best days of electronics design in Asia are yet to come. In March this year, the publication unveiled an updated brand and logo to reflect its strong ties to Global Sources' track record in Asia and China, and CMP's renowned EE Times brand. Electronics Engineering Times-Asia is now known as EE Times-Asia.

To celebrate EE Times-Asia's 20th anniversary, we will bring you, our readers, special content offerings that will mark the evolution of this fast-changing industry—highlighting technology disruptions and the future shape of the electronics design landscape in Asia.

We will come out later this year with an anniversary issue that will give you a glimpse into the future of this rapidly changing industry and into the journey that EE Times-Asia took to help you witness this relentless change.

The anniversary issue will feature not only industry leaders and veterans as candid witnesses to this remarkable journey, but also testimonies and personal insights of Asia's top design engineers. Stay tuned.

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