Belgium holds Chinese national over chip espionage

Belgian prosecutors announced on Monday that a 52-year-old man with dual Chinese and Belgian nationality has been held in pre-trial detention since May on suspicion of espionage involving semiconductor technology. The case marks one of the most notable European actions against alleged chip-related spying tied to China.

Arrest at Brussels Airport

The man was arrested on May 10 at Zaventem airport as he attempted to board a flight to Beijing, according to Reuters ↗ 2.92%. He is a resident of Leuven and formerly held a senior position at BelGaN, a specialized Belgian producer of gallium nitride semiconductors based in Oudenaarde that was declared bankrupt on July 31, 2024.straitstimes+3

Prosecutors allege that shortly after joining BelGaN, the suspect simultaneously served as a director of a Chinese company producing the same type of chips, which had been financed by a Chinese investment fund. In that role, he is suspected of illegally transferring intellectual property and trade secrets related to the production of gallium nitride chips — components used in electric vehicles, aerospace, and military applications.reuters+2

"The investigation may point to the unlawful transfer abroad of specialized intellectual property and trade secrets relating to the production of gallium nitride chips," Belgian prosecutors said in a statement.bloomberg

A Second Suspect at Large

The suspect remains in custody, while a second person linked to the investigation is still at large, prosecutors said. The Chinese embassy in Belgium was not immediately available for comment.reuters+2

Part of a Broader European Crackdown

The case arrives amid growing scrutiny across Europe over the theft of advanced semiconductor technology. The Netherlands recently jailed a Russian national for three years in a separate chip espionage case, and a former Samsung engineer in South Korea was sentenced to six years in prison for leaking trade secrets to China. Gallium nitride semiconductors are considered strategically important due to their applications in defense and clean energy, making the protection of such technology an increasing priority for Western governments.straitstimes