Taiwan indicts ex-TSMC manager for allegedly stealing chip secrets

Taiwanese prosecutors indicted a former TSMC deputy manager for allegedly copying 21 confidential documents and passing them to a Chinese semiconductor materials analysis company. Officials describe it as the first case directly linking a TSMC manager to a Chinese materials-analysis firm.

Why it matters: This gives a concrete legal case to the broader pattern of concern about Chinese infiltration of chip supply chains, echoing recent warnings like the Dutch study on the chip sector's vulnerability to Chinese interference. It's likely to intensify pressure for tighter personnel and IP controls at leading-edge fabs like TSMC.