Taiwan concerned over China's "malicious" high-tech talent poaching

TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan on Wednesday voiced concern over "malicious talent poaching" in reaction to a report that a high-tech firm run by former Chinese president Jiang Zemin's son was aggressively recruiting staff from the island.

"The flow of talent has to follow proper procedures," Economic Minister Shih Yen-hsiang told a session of parliament. "We don't approve of malicious talent poaching."

Mr Shih made the comment after the Taiwan-based CommonWealth magazine reported that Mr Jiang's son Jiang Mianheng was among a string of Chinese businesses going after the island's high-tech talent.

According to the biweekly magazine, tech company He Hui operated indirectly by the younger Mr Jiang allegedly had recruited 70 people from top research institutes and firms in Taiwan to the alarm of the island's authorities.