Latest news with #Goertek
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Taiwan investigates 16 Chinese firms for poaching high-tech talent
By Wen-Yee Lee TAIPEI: Taiwan authorities said on Thursday they were investigating 16 Chinese companies for allegedly poaching semiconductor and other high-tech talent, amid growing concerns over technology outflows. More than 300 agents searched 70 locations and questioned 120 people between July 15 and August 6, the Taiwan Investigation Bureau said, in coordinated raids on Chinese firms suspected of illegally recruiting engineers and operating unlicensed offices in Taiwan. Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future. The Chinese companies under investigation include prominent players in semiconductors, chip design, and electronics manufacturing. Listed Chinese tech firms named in the probe include Goertek , Shenzhen-listed Victory Giant Technology, which supplies Nvidia and is a top PCB maker, NOVOSENSE Microelectronics , and VNET Group , a Nasdaq-listed Chinese data centre firm. The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's scramble for chip talent and expertise has intensified as Beijing pushes for self-reliance in advanced semiconductors, amid a deepening tech rivalry with the U.S. Taiwanese law prohibits Chinese investment in some parts of the semiconductor supply chain, including chip design, and requires reviews for other areas such as chip packaging, making it difficult for Chinese chip companies to operate on the island legally. The investigation bureau said Chinese firms had long targeted Taiwan's high-tech workforce through covert methods, including operating without regulatory approval, using shell companies registered in Hong Kong or foreign entities, or dispatching staff through local hiring agencies to conceal their identities. "These companies operated in Taiwan without approval from our authorities, illegally conducting business and poaching our high-tech talent," said Ya-Chun Ku, one of the investigators. "We will continue to pursue such cases to prevent Chinese firms from unlawfully recruiting talent or operating in Taiwan, and to effectively safeguard Taiwan's global advantage in the high-tech industry," she added. A special task force has handled more than 100 such cases since late 2020. "The semiconductor and IC design sectors are the backbone of Taiwan's economic strength, but in recent years have become key targets for Chinese talent-poaching efforts," the bureau said in a statement.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Taiwan investigates 16 Chinese firms for poaching high-tech talent
TAIPEI, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Taiwan authorities said on Thursday they were investigating 16 Chinese companies for allegedly poaching semiconductor and other high-tech talent, amid growing concerns over technology outflows. More than 300 agents searched 70 locations and questioned 120 people between July 15 and August 6, the Taiwan Investigation Bureau said, in coordinated raids on Chinese firms suspected of illegally recruiting engineers and operating unlicensed offices in Taiwan. Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future. The Chinese companies under investigation include prominent players in semiconductors, chip design, and electronics manufacturing. Listed Chinese tech firms named in the probe include Goertek ( opens new tab , Shenzhen-listed Victory Giant Technology ( opens new tab , which supplies Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab and is a top PCB maker, NOVOSENSE Microelectronics ( opens new tab , and VNET Group (VNET.O), opens new tab, a Nasdaq-listed Chinese data centre firm. The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's scramble for chip talent and expertise has intensified as Beijing pushes for self-reliance in advanced semiconductors, amid a deepening tech rivalry with the U.S. Taiwanese law prohibits Chinese investment in some parts of the semiconductor supply chain, including chip design, and requires reviews for other areas such as chip packaging, making it difficult for Chinese chip companies to operate on the island legally. The investigation bureau said Chinese firms had long targeted Taiwan's high-tech workforce through covert methods, including operating without regulatory approval, using shell companies registered in Hong Kong or foreign entities, or dispatching staff through local hiring agencies to conceal their identities. 'These companies operated in Taiwan without approval from our authorities, illegally conducting business and poaching our high-tech talent,' said Ya-Chun Ku, one of the investigators. 'We will continue to pursue such cases to prevent Chinese firms from unlawfully recruiting talent or operating in Taiwan, and to effectively safeguard Taiwan's global advantage in the high-tech industry,' she added. A special task force has handled more than 100 such cases since late 2020. 'The semiconductor and IC design sectors are the backbone of Taiwan's economic strength, but in recent years have become key targets for Chinese talent-poaching efforts,' the bureau said in a statement.
Free Malaysia Today
6 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Taiwan raids firms accused of stealing chip industry secrets
Taiwan has long accused China of carrying out espionage activities on the island. (EPA Images pic) TAIPEI : Taiwanese investigators said today they have raided 16 Chinese-funded companies suspected of illegally poaching high-tech talent to steal secrets from the island's chip industry. Taiwan is a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, with more than half of the world's chips and nearly all of the high-end ones made there. China is racing to develop the advanced chips used to power artificial intelligence systems, as it faces export restrictions imposed by the US. Hundreds of officials searched 70 locations across the island and questioned 120 people from July 15 to Aug 6, the justice ministry's investigation bureau said. The probe is still underway and no charges have been filed, a bureau investigator surnamed Gu told AFP, adding there were 'around 25 to 30' such investigations every year. Intelligence shared by the bureau indicated 'several illegal mainland-funded enterprises have been stealing Taiwan's high-tech secrets through illegal poaching', said the Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office, which was involved in the raids. 'The companies targeted had 'used diverse and highly harmful infiltration methods',' it said. Among the firms searched were Goertek, a major Apple supplier, and US-listed VNET Group. Taiwan has long accused China of carrying out espionage activities on the island, which Beijing claims is part of its territory and has threatened to seize by force. Taiwan put Chinese tech giant Huawei and chip titan SMIC on an export blacklist this year, further squeezing Beijing's access to the technology needed to build the most advanced chips. Local companies wanting to ship high-tech products to Huawei, SMIC or any other entity on the list will have to obtain permission from Taiwan's government. The investigation bureau said in March that SMIC and other Chinese companies were being probed on suspicion of illegal talent poaching.
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Taiwan raids firms linked to China in chip secrets probe
TAIPEI, Aug 7 — Taiwanese investigators said Thursday they have raided 16 Chinese-funded companies suspected of illegally poaching high-tech talent to steal secrets from the island's chip industry. Taiwan is a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, with more than half of the world's chips and nearly all of the high-end ones made there. China is racing to develop the advanced chips used to power artificial intelligence systems, as it faces export restrictions imposed by the United States. Hundreds of officials searched 70 locations across the island and questioned 120 people from July 15 to August 6, the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau said. The probe is still underway and no charges have been filed, a bureau investigator surnamed Gu told AFP, adding there were 'around 25 to 30' such investigations every year. Intelligence shared by the bureau indicated 'several illegal mainland-funded enterprises have been stealing Taiwan's high-tech secrets through illegal poaching', said the Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office, which was involved in the raids. The companies targeted had 'used diverse and highly harmful infiltration methods', it said. Among the firms searched were Goertek, a major Apple supplier, and US-listed VNET Group. Taiwan has long accused China of carrying out espionage activities on the island, which Beijing claims is part of its territory and has threatened to seize by force. Taiwan put Chinese tech giant Huawei and chip titan SMIC on an export blacklist this year, further squeezing Beijing's access to the technology needed to build the most advanced chips. Local companies wanting to ship high-tech products to Huawei, SMIC or any other entity on the list will have to obtain permission from Taiwan's government. The Investigation Bureau said in March that SMIC and other Chinese companies were being probed on suspicion of illegal talent poaching. — AFP
CNA
22-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Apple supplier Goertek to buy Luen Fung Commercial's units for $1.3 billion
BEIJING :Apple supplier Goertek Inc said on Tuesday it plans to buy two units of Hong Kong's Luen Fung Commercial Holdings for about combined HK$10.4 billion ($1.32 billion). The acquisition of Mega Precision Technology and Channel Well Industrial would help Goertek strengthen competitiveness in the field of precision structural components, the company said in a Shenzhen stock exchange filing. ($1 = 7.8499 Hong Kong dollars)
