Taiwan targets alleged leak of TSMC technology in high-stakes China espionage case
Taiwanese prosecutors charged a former TSMC worker on Monday over an alleged theft of closely guarded chip information. The case covers technology that Taipei lists among its national core assets. Investigators say the former employee planned to use the stolen material in China. Prosecutors say the data involved methods protected under Taiwans national security rules. The filing came one day after President Lai Ching-te spoke at the yearly convention of the Democratic Progressive Party. Lai told party members that Taiwan must protect its democratic system and reject pressure from Beijing. He called that pressure “red terror” and said the island must not end up under Chinese rule. Lai won the presidency two years ago, while his party has kept its focus on a separate Taiwanese identity. Taiwan widens its defense against Chinese legal and technology pressure Beijing rejects that political stance because it considers Taiwan part of China. Chinese leaders treat the island as territory that cannot be separated, even though Taiwan runs its own government, military, courts, elections, and laws. Lai said calm periods should not make Taiwan careless. He warned that Beijing is using what he called “legal warfare” alongside military and political pressure. His example was Chinas new ethnic unity law, which could