Taiwan is looking to tighten its commercial secrets law to prevent China from stealing key technology, the top China-policy maker said on Sept. 29. The move flags Beijing’s long-term espionage efforts toward the self-ruled island. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) is proposing a revision to an existing law governing China relations that would require technical personnel receiving government money to seek permission before going to China, according to a Wednesday statement. The amendment is to protect the “national core technology” from Beijing-backed industrial espionage. Those who breach the law would be fined up to $360,555. Taiwan is home to some of the world’s largest and most advanced semiconductor plants. Nowadays, be it washing machines, electronic devices, or fighter jets, millions of products depend on computer microchips, also known as semiconductors, to power electronics. The prolonged global computer chip shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the economic and strategic importance …