Ampleon’s involvement in 6G project prompts security measures

Looking to prevent technology leaks to China, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs has introduced additional conditions to a National Growth Fund (NGF) project for 6G mobile networks. The move follows the revelation that Ampleon, one of the project’s partners, has been silently acquired by the Chinese semiconductor company Wuxi Xichanweixin Semiconductor. “We demand safeguards so that knowledge, know-how and information developed within this consortium can’t unwittingly go to third parties,” the ministry told De Standaard, following reporting by the Financieele Dagblad (links in Dutch).

The 203-million-euro NGF funding for the Future Network Services project, spearheaded by TNO and featuring 60 partners, was provisionally awarded in June last year. Unbeknownst to the Dutch government and project partners, the previous owner of RF power specialist Ampleon, an investment fund, had by then already sold its asset to the relatively unknown Chinese chip firm. Once the transaction came to light, Economic Affairs decided to impose the additional conditions.

In high tech, ties to Chinese entities are subject to close scrutiny these days. Another Dutch semiconductor company with a Chinese owner, Nexperia, was forced to sell a UK fab, faced a security review over a minor acquisition and was denied subsidies from the German government.