Chinese company accused of stealing U.S. trade secrets

The Justice Department announced Thursday that the United States has charged a company controlled by the Chinese government with allegedly stealing trade secrets from Micron Technology Inc., a semiconductor company based in Idaho.

"China — like any advanced nation — must decide whether it wants to be a trusted partner on the world stage, or whether it wants to be known around the world as a dishonest regime running a corrupt economy founded on fraud, theft, and strong-arm tactics," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. Charges have been filed against two companies — one in China and one in Taiwan — as well as three Taiwanese defendants. They are not in U.S. custody.

The Justice Department said the trade secrets are worth up to $8.75 billion. The technology is dynamic random-access memory, which the Chinese government has identified as a priority since it depends on foreign countries for supplies, The Associated Press reports.

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