Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that the UK government would probe the takeover of the UK’s largest silicon wafer manufacturer by a Chinese-backed company on national security grounds.
The government has grappled with Chinese ownership of crucial parts of UK infrastructure, notably by rejecting Huawei having a role in its 5G cellular network. Legislation was introduced last year to strengthen powers to block takeovers based on security concerns.
Newport Wafer Fab, which produces silicon wafers at its plant in south Wales and employs 450 people, was recently purchased by Nexperia, a Netherlands-based company that is Chinese owned and already operates a similar facility in Manchester.