Agents storm companies for suspected employee recruitment misconduct in tech sector
Taiwan is currently engaged in active investigations against Chinese-funded companies, accused of stealing high-tech secrets and illegally poaching talent from Taiwan's semiconductor industry. The extensive raids, conducted from mid-July to early August 2025, involved about 70 locations across the country, with approximately 120 people being questioned by authorities[1].
Among the firms under scrutiny are Goertek Inc (歌爾聲學) and VNET Group, both US-listed, and suspected of employing "diverse and highly harmful infiltration methods" to acquire advanced semiconductor technology and poach high-tech talent[1].
The investigations, which are still ongoing, come amidst Taiwan's ongoing concerns over Chinese industrial espionage targeting its semiconductor sector. The country imposes strict export controls, blacklisting Chinese tech giants like Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to limit their access to crucial semiconductor technology[1].
In a recent development, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest advanced chipmaker, has seen the arrest of several employees suspected of stealing trade secrets related to its cutting-edge 2-nanometer chip technology. These cases are being handled under Taiwan's National Security Act due to the strategic importance of these technologies[2][3].
The investigation also touches on alleged attempts to transmit stolen secrets to a Japanese startup, but foreign state involvement beyond Taiwan's suspicions about China has not yet been confirmed[2][3].
The Taiwanese government is taking proactive measures to counter these activities. In addition to the ongoing investigations, authorities are also implementing cybersecurity countermeasures to protect against phishing and malware attacks, which are increasingly being used by China-aligned actors to target Taiwan's semiconductor industry[5].
In summary, Taiwan is actively pursuing investigations into these espionage activities involving Chinese-funded companies, employing a combination of raids, arrests, legal actions, and cybersecurity countermeasures. Although no final charges have been publicly filed yet, the investigations remain in progress[1][2][5].
[1] Taiwan News, 2025. "Taiwanese authorities raid Chinese-funded companies over alleged espionage." Accessed August 10, 2025. https://taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4311923
[2] Reuters, 2025. "Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC arrests employees over theft of trade secrets." Accessed August 10, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/business/tsmc-arrests-employees-over-theft-trade-secrets-2025-07-15/
[3] Nikkei Asia, 2025. "Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC arrests employees over theft of trade secrets." Accessed August 10, 2025. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tech-industry/Taiwanese-chipmaker-TSMC-arrests-employees-over-theft-of-trade-secrets
[4] Taiwan News, 2025. "Taiwanese government imposes strict export controls on China-based tech companies." Accessed August 10, 2025. https://taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4310507
[5] Cybersecurity Dashboard, 2025. "China-aligned actors intensify efforts to target Taiwan's semiconductor industry." Accessed August 10, 2025. https://cybersecuritydashboard.com/news/china-aligned-actors-intensify-efforts-to-target-taiwans-semiconductor-industry
The and the are being scrutinized for employing harmful methods to acquire high-tech technology and poach talent, as the investigations against Chinese-funded companies continue. Taiwan's extensive measures against these alleged espionage activities include raids, arrests, legal actions, and cybersecurity countermeasures.
