Belgium Arrests Former Chip Executive Suspected of Spying for China

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Arrest at the Airport

Belgian federal prosecutors confirmed this week that a 52-year-old man holding both Belgian and Chinese citizenship has been held in custody since May 10. He was detained at Brussels Airport in Zaventem just as he was preparing to board a flight to Beijing.

The suspect, identified in Belgian media only by the initial "L.," had previously held a senior research position at Belgan, a Belgian company that specialized in producing gallium nitride semiconductors. These chips are prized for their efficiency and are used in electric vehicles, satellites, radar systems, and military hardware.

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A Company on Both Sides

According to prosecutors, the man is suspected of simultaneously serving as a director of a Chinese company producing the identical type of chip. That company, reportedly named Gankool, was established only a few months after he joined Belgan and was financed by a Chinese investment fund.

Investigators believe this dual role allowed him to unlawfully transfer specialized intellectual property and trade secrets abroad. Belgian authorities are examining potential charges including espionage, membership in a criminal organization, misuse of company assets, and unlawful disclosure of trade secrets.

A second suspect, also a Chinese national, remains at large. Belgian media have reported that this individual is Alan Zhen Zhou, the last chief executive of Belgan before the company's collapse.

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From Boom to Bankruptcy

Belgan once employed roughly 400 people and was seen as a promising European player in next-generation chip manufacturing. The company came under partial Chinese ownership in 2021, when Hong Kong-based investors acquired a stake and installed new management. It was declared bankrupt in July 2024, leaving its workforce without jobs.

The bankruptcy itself is now part of the investigation, with prosecutors also examining possible bankruptcy-related offenses tied to the company's collapse.

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Part of a Wider Pattern

This is not an isolated incident. In July, Belgian authorities arrested a Canadian citizen of Chinese origin on suspicion of conducting espionage on behalf of a foreign power while completing an internship at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Belgium's state security agency has previously warned in its annual reports about so-called "copy-to-China" schemes, in which Chinese-linked investors acquire stakes in Western technology firms specifically to replicate their know-how domestically. Analysts say gallium nitride technology has become a particular target because of its dual-use military and commercial value, and because China still lags behind Western and Taiwanese firms in advanced chip production.

The case adds to a broader pattern across Europe, where several countries have opened or expanded investigations into suspected Chinese industrial and state espionage in recent years.

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What Comes Next

The detained suspect remains in custody while the investigation continues, and it is not yet clear when formal charges will be filed or a trial date set. Belgian authorities have not disclosed whether they are coordinating with other European governments or with the company that acquired Belgan's technology and Chinese partners.

The case is likely to intensify scrutiny of Chinese investment in strategically sensitive European industries, at a time when the United States and its allies have pushed for tighter export controls and stricter vetting of foreign investment in semiconductor firms. The outcome of the Belgan case could influence how European governments respond to future attempts by Chinese-linked entities to acquire stakes in critical technology companies.

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SOURCES

1. Reuters – https://www.reuters.com/world/china/belgium-detains-chinese-man-suspicion-semiconductor-espionage-2026-09-07/
2. Euronews – https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/09/07/belgian-prosecutors-detain-former-reasearcher-and-probe-alleged-chinese-espionage-at-bankr
3. Bloomberg – https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-07/chinese-chip-spy-suspect-arrested-before-brussels-beijing-flight
4. Asharq Al-Awsat (English) – https://english.aawsat.com/world/5315561-belgium-arrests-suspected-spy-who-sold-chip-secrets-china
5. Belga News Agency (Pressemitteilung) – https://belgashare.be/newsrooms/70/press-releases/36152/former-top-executive-of-bankrupt-chip-manufacturer-belgan-suspected-of-espionage-for-china/