Taiwan issued an arrest warrant for Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus, for illegal recruitment
Over 70 engineers were allegedly poached via a Hong Kong shell company to bypass government audits
NT$2.3 billion was funneled to secret Taiwan branch to fund unapproved R&D and software testing
Taiwan’s Shilin District Prosecutors Office has issued an arrest warrant for OnePlus chief executive Pete Lau, Reuters reported. Prosecutors term it as part of an investigation that alleges the China-based smartphone maker illegally recruited more than 70 Taiwanese engineers without the government approvals required under the island’s Cross-Strait Act. Two Taiwanese citizens accused of assisting the recruitment have already been indicted, the office said.
Prosecutors allege OnePlus established a Hong Kong-registered shell company and used it to set up an unapproved Taiwan branch in 2015 that conducted research and development, verification and testing for OnePlus smartphones. Officials say the structure was intended to conceal mainland Chinese ownership and skirt legal requirements that Chinese firms obtain explicit permission from Taipei before hiring local staff or carrying out certain business activities.
1 January 2026
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What’s at Stake?
The Cross-Strait Act exists to regulate economic ties and prevent unauthorized technology transfer between Taiwan and mainland China. Prosecutors contend the alleged recruitment undermined safeguards meant to protect Taiwan’s semiconductor and electronics talent, an area Taipei has increasingly guarded as strategically sensitive.
An arrest warrant does not mean Lau will be arrested immediately. Taiwan has no formal extradition treaty with China, and prosecutors acknowledge Lau would only be detained if he enters Taiwanese jurisdiction or a cooperating territory. Still, authorities and industry watchers say the move carries symbolic weight and risks reputational and operational complications for OnePlus and its partners.
Company Response
At the time of reporting, OnePlus and its parent company Oppo had not publicly responded to the warrant and the allegations. Reuters and local outlets first reported details from a document dated November 2025 that prosecutors furnished to media.
The case adds to a broader clampdown by Taipei: in August 2025 authorities disclosed probes into multiple mainland companies for allegedly poaching high-tech talent, using shell entities or third-party hiring agencies to mask recruitment.
