Belgian prosecutors have stated that H.L., a man holding dual citizenship of China and Belgium, has been in pre-trial detention since May this year on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities related to semiconductor technology.
According to reports from Reuters and Belgian media on September 7, the 52-year-old man previously held a senior position at the Belgian chip manufacturer BelGaN, which declared bankruptcy in July 2024 after operating for 40 years in Oudenaarde, with initial involvement from the Flemish government. The company was a pioneer in the semiconductor technology field in Belgium.
BelGaN was the last industrial chip manufacturer in Belgium, specializing in developing and producing Gallium Nitride (GaN) based chips.
H.L. is accused of illegally transferring proprietary intellectual property and trade secrets overseas, all of which are related to the production of GaN chips used in electric vehicles, aerospace, and military applications.
Residing in Belgium, H.L. was arrested on May 10 at Zaventem Airport while preparing to board a flight to Beijing.
Prosecutors stated that the man remains in detention, and another suspect involved in the investigation is still at large.
According to the Belgian newspaper De Standaard, H.L. is suspected of espionage, unlawful disclosure of trade secrets, involvement in criminal organizations, misuse of company assets, and violation of bankruptcy laws. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed these allegations.
Reports suggest that the bankruptcy of BelGaN in 2024, seemingly due to economic reasons, is now under suspicion. Investigators believe that the Chinese owners who took over BelGaN in 2021 did not genuinely intend to develop BelGaN but rather aimed to transfer its technology to China. Information obtained by De Standaard and the Belgian French-language public broadcaster RTBF corroborates this theory.
The bankruptcy of BelGaN resulted in 420 job losses. Judicial authorities are investigating possible fraudulent activities. However, information provided by the State Security Service of Belgium (VSSE) played a crucial role in leading to the arrest of H.L. in Leuven.
Belgian media revealed that shortly after joining BelGaN, H.L. also held a senior position at the Chinese company Gankool, established shortly after BelGaN was taken over by Chinese owners with investment from a Chinese fund.
The technology used in Gankool’s production was identical to that of BelGaN. There are indications suggesting a orchestrated scheme to transfer BelGaN’s proprietary intellectual property and trade secrets to Gankool. Moreover, H.L. was not the only former BelGaN executive at Gankool, as the last CEO of BelGaN, a Chinese national named Alan Zhen Zhou, reportedly had a role in Gankool as well. Information obtained by De Standaard and RTBF indicates that Zhou is also under investigation by the Belgian judicial authorities.