Taiwan seeks arrest of Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus’ CEO over illegal hires

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan prosecutors on Tuesday, January 13, issued an arrest warrant for the chief executive officer of Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus, alleging he was involved in illegal business and recruitment activities in Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Shilin District Prosecutors Office said it had indicted two Taiwanese citizens for helping OnePlus CEO Pete Lau illegally operate a business and recruit more than 70 employees in Taiwan. The allegations fall under Taiwanese law governing relations with China.

Over 70 employees were hired in Taiwan to conduct smartphone software application research and development, verification, and testing for the Chinese smartphone maker, prosecutors said.

OnePlus is headquartered in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. It became an independent sub-brand under Oppo in 2021, according to its website.

Oppo and OnePlus did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters. Reuters could not reach Lau for comment.

Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.

But Taiwan’s tech expertise has made it a magnet for Chinese companies seeking talent, prompting Taiwanese authorities to block such efforts, which they say have included using shell companies registered in Hong Kong or foreign entities, or dispatching staff through hiring agencies to conceal their identities.

In August 2025, Taiwan authorities said they were investigating 16 Chinese companies for allegedly poaching semiconductor and other high-tech talent, amid growing concerns over technology outflows. – Rappler.com