Netherlands intel accuses China of spying on its semiconductor industry, aerospace tech

A recent assessment by the Military Intelligence of the Netherlands (MIVD) has asserted that China has tried to get over export limitations and attempted to purchase equipment and know-how from the Netherlands aerospace industry. Beijing has however refuted the allegations.

The Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands rejected the claims as unfounded, inaccurate, and unfair. Jan Swillens, chief of the MIVD military intelligence organisation, stated: "The Netherlands remains an attractive espionage target for China... especially in the domain of semiconductor industry, quantum technology, and the aerospace and maritime industry."

In his annual report, Jan Swillens, the chief of the MIVD, stated that his organisation "detected and prevented various Chinese attempts to acquire (military) technology" in the previous year. MIVD remarked that China made many attempts in 2022 to acquire military technology outside of the export limits. Employees of the agency also found a number of front firms that had been used in the process.

Dutch entities are 'being targeted on a large scale'

"Dutch firms, knowledge institutes and scientists are being targeted on a large scale. China is rapidly developing advanced weapons with advanced technologies (including) different types of anti-satellite weapons -- highly destructive in nature." China is working hard to accelerate satellite launches and hopes to perform as many as 100 a year, up from 40 by 2020, according to MIVD. 

The MIVD asserted that China wants to become a worldwide leader in space by creating cutting-edge quantum communication networks. China poses "the greatest threat to Dutch economic security," according to the Dutch general intelligence agency AIVD, which issued this warning on Monday.

The Dutch intelligence agency claimed Beijing had used "legitimate investments, corporate takeovers, and academic cooperation, as well as illegal espionage, insiders," among other tactics in the European nation, reported the Global Times.

The Netherlands is a pioneer in the production of chips, which are essential parts for products like smartphones and linked cars but also for military gear. The Hague placed additional export limits on computer chip manufacturing technology in March in response to lobbying from Washington in an effort to prevent access of the technology to the Chinese.

(With ANI inputs)