A Chinese technology company took trade secrets from Britain as part of plans to move microchip production out of the country, it has been claimed.
Wingtech transferred production techniques from a semiconductor plant in Stockport, Greater Manchester, owned by Dutch subsidiary Nexperia, according to reports in the Dutch media.
The Dutch government last month seized control of Nexperia from Wingtech using Cold War national security laws and relieved its chief executive, Xuezheng Zhang, of his duties.
China has, in return, blocked Nexperia’s Chinese operations from exporting chips, leading to a stand-off that has threatened to hit car production.
Wingtech appropriated techniques for manufacturing power chips known as Mosfets that are made in Nexperia’s Stockport facility, Dutch officials told the NRC newspaper.
Although the chips, which Nexperia sells to the car industry, are not at the cutting edge, the company’s Manchester plant has carefully refined manufacturing techniques to maximise efficiency.
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