Former Tsinghua Unigroup Chairman Sentenced to Suspended Death for Embezzlement

On May 14, a Chinese court sentenced Zhao Weiguo, the former chairman of state-owned chip giant Tsinghua Unigroup, to a suspended death sentence for embezzlement, bribery, and causing massive financial losses. Zhao, once hailed as a “chip maniac” for his ambitious expansion of Tsinghua Unigroup, was accused of illegally appropriating over $65 million in state-owned assets and causing direct losses of $125 million to the Chinese regime.
During his tenure, Zhao oversaw the company’s rapid growth, increasing its assets from $180 million to nearly $41.4 billion. However, his aggressive acquisitions left the company mired in debt, leading to its bankruptcy in 2021. Zhao was also found guilty of transferring profitable operations to related parties and leasing corporate projects at below-market prices to benefit associates.
The court suspended Zhao’s death sentence, citing his cooperation with investigators and the recovery of all embezzled assets. He was stripped of his political rights for life, ordered to forfeit all personal assets, and fined $1.65 million.
Zhao’s downfall has reverberated in Taiwan, where his past attempts to acquire stakes in leading Taiwanese semiconductor firms, including TSMC, are still remembered. His proposals were met with public resistance and ultimately rejected under the Tsai Ing-wen administration, which banned Chinese investment in Taiwan’s integrated circuit sector.

Published: 6/16/2025