The takeover of one of Wales’ leading tech firms and the UK’s biggest microchip manufacturer, Newport Wafer Fab, by a Chinese-owned company has been called in for a “full national security assessment” by the UK Government.
The move follows growing pressure from MPs amid concerns that semiconduter foundry, which employs 500 in Newport, has been acquired by a “strategic competitor”.
Boris Johnson said in July 2021 that he had asked National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove to look at the £63m acquisition of the plant by Amsterdam-based Nexperia, which is owned by Chinese firm and Shanghai stock market listed tech firm Wingtech - a company said to be linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
