TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) has identified more than 40 cases of illegal recruitment of Taiwanese high-tech staff and theft of confidential data by Chinese companies since last year, reports said Friday (Sept. 16).

Investigators launched the program in 2021 to stem the outflow of information and talent to China, including large-scale simultaneous raids to root out the problem, CNA reported.

Most cases involved Chinese enterprises using an entity in a third country to cover up the source of the investment and the recruitment. This showed their behavior did not amount to normal business competition but posed a threat to national security, the MJIB said.

The bureau said it would continue to investigate similar cases in order to safeguard the development of the high-tech sector and the semiconductor industry in particular, as it forms the core of Taiwan’s economic future.