Why was the arrest warrant issued against OnePlus CEO Pete Lau in Taiwan?

Updated: 14-01-2026, 07.44 AM

What is the news?

An arrest warrant has been issued in Taiwan against Pete Lau, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of China’s well-known smartphone manufacturer OnePlus. Taiwanese prosecutors say Lau violated the rules over the past 10 years. It is alleged that he recruited engineers from Taiwan without permission. This case is related to Taiwan’s Cross-Strait Act, which regulates the functioning of companies in Mainland China.

What are the allegations against Lau?

According to prosecutors, OnePlus allegedly created a shell company in Hong Kong. After this, in 2015, a branch was opened in Taiwan without government approval. This team worked on smartphone software development. Also, testing and verification of OnePlus device was also done. It is alleged that in this process necessary permission was not taken from the local authorities, which is considered mandatory under the law.

Claim of violation of hiring rules

According to the Cross-Strait Act, any mainland Chinese company has to obtain permission before hiring in Taiwan. Prosecutors claim OnePlus ignored this rule. It is alleged that more than 70 engineers were hired silently. Two Taiwanese citizens, who allegedly helped Lau, have also been charged in this case.

Taiwan’s strictness on Chinese tech companies

This matter is considered to be a part of Taiwan’s strict policy in which Chinese tech companies are being monitored. Taiwan considers its semiconductor and chip engineers to be strategic assets. Even before this, many companies have been investigated. OnePlus says its business is running as normal despite the investigation, while Lau has not yet made any public statement.