Taiwan Enforces National Security Law to Protect TSMC

Taiwan's government has taken significant measures to protect the trade secrets of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, by invoking a national security law for the first time. This move was prompted by the departure of engineer Wei-Jen Lo, who left TSMC after 21 years to join Intel, a rival company.

Taiwanese prosecutors began an investigation into Lo's transition, perceiving it as a threat to national security. They raided his properties, seizing computers and flash drives, and even confiscated his stocks and real estate.

This case reflects Taiwan's new commitment to safeguard its semiconductor technologies, which are crucial to the global tech supply chain. Additionally, Taiwan's prosecutors indicted the local unit of Tokyo Electron, a Japanese supplier to TSMC, for allegedly failing to prevent a former employee from stealing sensitive information about TSMC's advanced chips.

Taiwanese officials emphasized that the theft of semiconductor technologies could jeopardize the international competitiveness of its chip manufacturers, as these technologies are vital for products ranging from smartphones to automobiles.