Emile Chang, a Ministry of Economic Affairs official in charge of reviewing investments, told CNN Friday that an “administrative probe” had been initiated this week into four Taiwanese companies named in a media report. The investigation will focus on whether their business activities in China were consistent with approvals they had been granted by the ministry, he said.
Formerly the world’s second largest maker of smartphones, the company has been attempting a comeback after being hit by US export restrictions, which were first imposed in 2019. Many Taiwanese companies, including chip giant TSMC and Apple supplier Foxconn, operate in China and are closely integrated into its supply chains. However, the island’s government keeps a close eye on what its companies are doing and does not allow its most advanced technology to be produced there.