Approximately 100 Chinese companies are being investigated for stealing Taiwan's semiconductor technology

TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing company, is based in Taiwan and many engineers live in Taiwan. Newly, it was revealed that Taiwanese investigative authorities are investigating about 100 companies, alleging that Chinese companies are conducting illegal withdrawal operations against Taiwanese engineers.

'Tip of the iceberg': Taiwan's spy catchers hunt Chinese poachers of chip talent | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tip-iceberg-taiwans-spy-catchers-hunt-chinese-poachers-chip-talent-2022-04-08/

Semiconductors are manufactured in countries around the world, including Japan, but few semiconductor manufacturers are following the miniaturization of semiconductors. `` As of December 2019, 92% of semiconductors under 10 nm are manufactured in Taiwan. 'It was' (PDF link) The situation where Taiwan is winning alone in the cutting-edge semiconductor market continues, such as the report of the analysis result . In order to overcome this situation, Intel announced a 2 trillion yen foundry service expansion strategy ' IDM 2.0 ', the Japanese government announced a semiconductor growth strategy, and each country and company announced funds and human resources for semiconductor development. We are working to secure it.

Similarly, in China, efforts are being made to develop semiconductor technology, and excellent engineers from all over the world are gathered. It is not illegal for Chinese companies to hire Taiwanese engineers, but Taiwanese law prohibits Chinese companies from investing in parts of the semiconductor supply chain, even in areas where investment is not prohibited. You need to pass the examination. For this reason, it is difficult for Chinese companies to legally engage in the semiconductor business in Taiwan.

Chinese companies rushing to secure technicians are appealing to pay technicians two to three times higher than Taiwan, and are aiming to secure technicians by legal means. To counter this, Taiwan-based companies are enhancing their benefits to prevent the outflow of technicians. In addition, the Taiwanese government has enacted a law that 'imposes imprisonment for up to 12 years for those who leak technical information to China.' Furthermore, in December 2020, we have been focusing on measures against the leakage of human resources and information to China, such as setting up a specialized team to prevent the outflow of engineers to the anti-spy organization under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice.

Then, in April 2022, a senior Taiwanese investigative authority revealed that it had begun an investigation into 'about 100 Chinese companies that are pulling out semiconductor engineers and other technology personnel.'

Under the above circumstances, Chinese companies may use illegal means to obtain human resources and information. For example, there is a case under investigation that 'a semiconductor company in Shanghai is sending semiconductor design drawings from Taiwan to China under the guise of a'Taiwan data analysis company''.