TAIPEI—Taipei has said it will investigate if Taiwanese firms that helped Huawei build semiconductor factories violated US sanctions against the Chinese tech giant.
Huawei, a leader in 5G telecom equipment, has been at the center of the intensifying US-China rivalry over advanced tech in recent years.
The United States and its allies have curtailed its access to major markets and advanced tech—including chip making — over fears its products could allow China to spy on their networks.
Taiwan’s Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua agreed on Wednesday—during questioning by lawmakers—to launch a probe into four tech firms that collaborated with Huawei on chip plants.
The four Taiwanese companies are helping Huawei develop an “under-the-radar network of chip plants” in China, Bloomberg reported this week.
The companies were identified by Bloomberg as Topco Scientific Co., L&K Engineering Co., United Integrated Services Co. and Cica-Huntek Chemical Technology Taiwan.
Taiwan—which China claims as its territory—is a powerhouse for the design and production of semiconductors, the lifeblood of the modern global economy.