Hejian Case Erupts: Robert Tsao's Illegal Investment in China and History as a Pioneer of Westward Movement

In February 2005, investigation units conducted a large-scale search of UMC headquarters and Chairman Robert Tsao''s residence, mainly due to his suspected illegal investment in Suzhou Hejian Technology through a third party. At that time, the government had not yet opened semiconductor entry into the mainland, and Robert Tsao was seen as an indicator figure of cross-strait economic and trade "westward movement." This case triggered years of judicial litigation, and Robert Tsao even angrily naturalized in Singapore and gave up his Republic of China nationality in 2011. This history reveals his true face of actively getting close to China and even not hesitating to violate national laws for commercial interests in his early years, which is in sharp contradiction with his image of transforming into an "anti-communist warrior" in recent years.