China: Secretly Acquires Military Drone Company: Alpi Aviation
-Italian government suggests cancellation of contract with China-
Reuters:
On November 16th, I quoted the story of three sources.
Italian government criticizes:
Chinese state-owned enterprises have not been approved by the Italian government
Acquired shares of Italian military drone manufacturing company,
The Italian government has criticized the acquisition by China.
Hong Kong company
Mars Information Science Technology Co., Ltd.
Mars Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Mars), a Hong Kong company
In 2018, it acquired a 75% stake in Drone Alpi Aviation for 4 million euros (519.8 million yen).
Golden power method:
The Italian government began an investigation in August this year under the Golden Power Act.
In fields such as national security
For important domestic companies
It regulates the direct investment of foreign companies.
The Italian government will soon send a letter to those involved asking for clarification.
“If we do not get a satisfactory explanation from the parties concerned, we will cancel this acquisition agreement,” he said.
Mars:
The acquisition of shares in Alpiaviation should have been reported to the Italian government for approval.
Police authorities information:
Mars was established in July 2018.
Only two months later, he acquired a stake in Alpiaviation.
Mars has invested an additional € 1.5 million in Alpiaviation.
Two state-owned enterprises in China:
Two Chinese state-owned enterprises own Mars.
China’s CRRC investment company “CRRC Capital Holding Co., Ltd.” and
It is a municipal investment company in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, “Chuun Investment Holding Co., Ltd.”
The actual situation of Mars:
He acknowledged that “Mars is a paper company.”
Italian officials said the purpose of the acquisition of shares by Chinese companies was to bring Alpiaviation under the control of the Chinese government.
Italian Treasury Police
Stefano Commentucci
This is clearly an investment aimed at looting technology.
Such investments are banned in Italy.
The Epoch Times
https://www.epochtimes.jp/2021/11/82012.html
Drone militare non armato UAV Strix-DF | Alpi Aviation
https://alpiaviation.com/strix-df/
China took control of an Italian military drone maker without authorities knowing it, report says
PUBLISHED TUE, NOV 16 2021
KEY POINTS
Two Chinese state firms took control of an Italian military drone maker in 2018 via an offshore company — without the knowledge of authorities in Italy and Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Italian police traced the purchase of 75% stake in Alpi Aviation to China Railway Rolling Stock Corp — a state-owned rail company — and an investment group controlled by the Wuxi municipal government, the report said.
Italian authorities are investigating whether Alpi should have notified the Italian government of the stake sale, as well as whether Alpi had transferred technology and started production in China, according to the report.
China Bought Italian Military-Drone Maker Without Authorities’ Knowledge
In 2018,
a Chinese state-controlled
company bought an Italian manufacturer of military drones.Soon after,
it began transferring the company’s know-how and technology—which had been used by the Italian military in Afghanistan—to China.
The Italian and European authorities had no knowledge of the move,
revealing how Beijing is skirting weak investment-screening in Europe to acquire sensitive technology.
– WSJ
Rome says Chinese firm illicitly acquired local UAV maker | News | Flight Global
Italian authorities
have charged six individuals for a conspiracy to transfer sensitive unmanned air vehicle (UAV) technology to China through the acquisition of a Pordenone-based aerospace firm.The country’s Guardia di Finanza
alleges that three Italians and three Chinese nationals colluded to obtain the firm through a Hong Kong shell company, itself owned by a series of Chinese shell companies.