Taiwan Reportedly Issues Arrest Warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau — Here’s Why

Taiwanese prosecutors have ordered the arrest of OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, accusing Lau of breaching Taiwan’s Cross-Strait Act through hiring practices. Two Taiwanese citizens linked to Lau face indictments, as authorities allege improper recruitment of Taiwan-based engineers for roles connected to the China-based smartphone company.

Investigators from the Shilin District Prosecutors Office state that OnePlus used a Hong Kong-registered shell company with a different name, then opened a Taiwan branch in 2015. Officials say this unit focused on OnePlus smartphone research and development and operated without formal approval from Taiwan’s government.

OnePlus arrest warrant and Cross-Strait Act hiring rules

Prosecutors allege the Taiwan operation recruited more than 70 engineers, all from Taiwan, for OnePlus projects. Officials argue these actions breached the Cross-Strait Act, which regulates dealings between Taiwan and mainland China, including strict rules requiring Chinese firms to secure official permission before employing Taiwanese workers for business activities. Authorities also claim the Hong Kong shell structure and unapproved Taiwan branch formed part of a wider scheme to avoid regulatory checks.

While OnePlus works as an independent brand, it integrated with Oppo back in 2021 to create new products and to offer better software updates to OnePlus users. As of 14 January 2026, both OnePlus and OPPO have not issued any comment on the charges or the arrest warrant for Lau.

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