A former executive of Samsung has been accused of stealing trade secrets from the company to establish a copycat chip factory in China.

Prosecutors have charged the 65-year-old man, who remains unidentified, with the theft of classified Samsung technology deemed crucial to national security and the economy.

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The suspect allegedly aimed to create the chip factory in Xian, near Samsung’s existing plant. The United States and China are engaged in a fierce competition for control over advanced chip supplies.

The stolen Samsung blueprints and clean-room designs from 2018 and 2019 were estimated to be worth at least $236 million.

The man had an extensive background in semiconductor manufacturing, having worked for leading chipmakers in South Korea for 28 years.