Taiwanese law enforcement said that a Chinese Apple supplier has supposedly been operating illegally in Taiwan and has been trying to poach tech talent, and that a US-sanctioned Chinese firm had illegally set up operations in Taiwan.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has been stepping up efforts to stop what it views as underhanded and illegal activities by Chinese firms that are trying to steal know-how and poach talent.
The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau late on Thursday named Luxshare Precision Industry (立訊精密) as one of eight Chinese companies “that came to Taiwan to illegally engage in the poaching our high-tech talents.”
Photo: Bloomberg
The ministry did not give more details and Luxshare did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Video surveillance equipment maker Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co (浙江大華技術股份有限公司), which the US added to a blacklist in 2019 over Beijing’s treatment of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, was also on the list.
Zhejiang Dahua had set up “two private locations” in Taiwan and tried to circumvent the investigation by listing its employees under another company, the bureau said.
Zhejiang Dahua did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan, home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) and accounting for the majority of the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity, sees China’s efforts as a threat to its chip expertise.
“The facilitators of relevant mainland China companies in Taiwan should not be under any illusions and challenge the determination to enforce the law,” the bureau said, adding that it would “resolutely crack down on illegal business operations and the poaching of talent.”
The announcement on Thursday came after a sweep this month of Chinese tech companies that were suspected of conducting illegal operations.
Taiwanese prosecutors said that Luxshare allegedly stole commercial secrets from a Taiwanese competitor, Catcher Technology Co (可成科技), and poached its workforce to win orders from Apple.
Fourteen people have been charged, the prosecutors said.
BYPASSING CHINA TARIFFS: In the first five months of this year, Foxconn sent US$4.4bn of iPhones to the US from India, compared with US$3.7bn in the whole of last year Nearly all the iPhones exported by Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團) from India went to the US between March and last month, customs data showed, far above last year’s average of 50 percent and a clear sign of Apple Inc’s efforts to bypass high US tariffs imposed on China. The numbers, being reported by Reuters for the first time, show that Apple has realigned its India exports to almost exclusively serve the US market, when previously the devices were more widely distributed to nations including the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. During March to last month, Foxconn, known as Hon Hai Precision Industry
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) yesterday announced the launch of the TSMC-UTokyo Lab to promote advanced semiconductor research, education and talent development. The lab is TSMC’s first laboratory collaboration with a university outside Taiwan, the company said in a statement. The lab would leverage “the extensive knowledge, experience, and creativity” of both institutions, the company said. It is located in the Asano Section of UTokyo’s Hongo, Tokyo, campus and would be managed by UTokyo faculty, guided by directors from UTokyo and TSMC, the company said. TSMC began working with UTokyo in 2019, resulting in 21 research projects,
Ashton Hall’s morning routine involves dunking his head in iced Saratoga Spring Water. For the company that sells the bottled water — Hall’s brand of choice for drinking, brushing his teeth and submerging himself — that is fantastic news. “We’re so thankful to this incredible fitness influencer called Ashton Hall,” Saratoga owner Primo Brands Corp’s CEO Robbert Rietbroek said on an earnings call after Hall’s morning routine video went viral. “He really helped put our brand on the map.” Primo Brands, which was not affiliated with Hall when he made his video, is among the increasing number of companies benefiting from influencer
Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) chairman Barry Lam (林百里) yesterday expressed a downbeat view about the prospects of humanoid robots, given high manufacturing costs and a lack of target customers. Despite rising demand and high expectations for humanoid robots, high research-and-development costs and uncertain profitability remain major concerns, Lam told reporters following the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Taoyuan. “Since it seems a bit unworthy to use such high-cost robots to do household chores, I believe robots designed for specific purposes would be more valuable and present a better business opportunity,” Lam said Instead of investing in humanoid robots, Quanta has opted to invest