Taiwan probes 17 China-funded firms over high-tech talent poaching
Taiwanese investigators said Wednesday they have raided dozens of locations as part of a probe into 17 Chinese-funded companies suspected of trying to “illegally” poach Taiwan’s high-tech talent to erode the island’s competitive edge. Taiwan is a powerhouse in the global semiconductor industry, producing nearly all of the most advanced chips for companies including Nvidia […]
Taiwanese authorities are investigating 17 Chinese-funded companies suspected of illicitly recruiting high-tech talent from Taiwan to undermine the island's technological edge, according to a statement from the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau. The probe has led to the search of 64 locations and interviews with 114 individuals over recent weeks.
Over 300 investigators are involved in the operation. The Chinese companies allegedly attempted to hide their Chinese financial backers while establishing unauthorized operations or recruiting talent illegally. This tactic is particularly concerning as Taiwan is a key player in the global semiconductor industry, supplying much of the advanced chips used by companies like Nvidia and Apple.
China is aggressively developing its own advanced chips, crucial for powering artificial intelligence systems, while facing export restrictions from the United States. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau highlighted the challenge Taiwanese firms face in retaining their core high-tech talent, which could be poached by Chinese entities.
This follows a recent case where a former TSMC employee was charged with stealing the chipmaker's core technology and attempting to leak it to China. Additionally, seven people, including an Nvidia employee, have been detained in a separate case involving the alleged smuggling of AI chips from Nvidia to China.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
