Seventeen Chinese companies suspected of illegally recruiting high-tech talent in Taiwan have been investigated over the past three weeks, with prosecutors across six jurisdictions searching 64 locations and questioning 114 people, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau said today.
With the recent artificial intelligence boom reshaping the global economy, Taiwan’s competitive edge — built on its strong semiconductor manufacturing and integrated circuit design — is key to its global participation, the bureau said.
However, these industries are challenged by Chinese companies attempting to recruit Taiwan’s high-tech talent, which threatens the nation’s competitive advantages, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Investigation Bureau
The bureau said it launched a task force in late 2020 to crack down on Chinese companies illegally recruiting and doing business in Taiwan, and has investigated more than 100 cases to date.
These companies often disguise themselves as Taiwanese or foreign-funded firms, set up unauthorized offices or use staffing agencies to conceal their operations while poaching Taiwanese talent, the bureau said.
The bureau said it began looking into Chinese companies illegally recruiting high-tech talent in April, and after gathering evidence, coordinated with prosecutors’ offices in Taipei, New Taipei City, Shilin, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Tainan to investigate 17 companies from July 13 to yesterday.
Taipei prosecutors are investigating Actions Technology (炬芯科技), while New Taipei City prosecutors are investigating six companies: Hi-trend Technology (鉅泉光電科技), Beijing Xinmei Interchange Technology (北京新美互通科技), Wayon Electronics (維安電子), Kunting Intelligent Technology (坤廷智能科技), Longcheng Intelligent Display Technology (瓏城智顯科技) and Vertilite Co (縱慧芯光半導體科技).
Taoyuan prosecutors are investigating four companies — Sunnyrain Technology (雨陽電子技術), Aosheng Hi-Tech (澳盛複合材料科技), Goke Microelectronics (國科微電子) and ZTop Mircoelectionics (兆通微電子) — while Taichung prosecutors are investigating Xinzhuo Technology (芯卓科技).
Tainan prosecutors are investigating two companies: Guangdong Cellwise Microelectronics (廣東賽微微電子) and Shenzhen Torey Microelectronics Technology (深圳通銳微電子技術).
Kaohsiung, Hsinchu City, Changhua County and Chiayi County prosecutors are investigating one company each: Mysher Technology (麥哲科技), ACM Research (盛美半導體), Suote Materials Technology (索特材料科技) and Zhuhai CosMX Battery (珠海冠宇電池) respectively.
Among these, Goke Microelectronics, Torey Microelectronics, Zhuhai CosMX and Aosheng Hi-Tech are internationally recognized companies that are suspected of using Taiwanese or Hong Kong residents to establish companies in Taiwan, which they then allegedly used to illegally recruit high-tech talent and conduct business, the bureau said.
None of the companies immediately responded to Reuters' requests for comment.
Additional reporting by Wu Sheng-ju and Reuters
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