China already dominates LCD, and now its pace of catch-up in OLED — the technology riding the AI boom — is accelerating too. The industry has petitioned the government to expand tax credits, while Samsung Display is pushing to advance center-etching (CTG) technology for foldable UTG.
This is a pattern the industry has already seen before. Chinese makers, backed by government support, expand market dominance through capacity and price, while Korea defends its position through a technology gap. What already happened in LCD is now repeating in OLED.
What matters for the R2R equipment industry is that as the technology gap narrows, the next battleground becomes process yield and equipment localization rate. The battery industry is already facing the same pursuit from Chinese equipment makers, so the display industry’s response — petitioning for tax credits, securing next-generation technology early — offers a useful reference point.