China Bought Italian Military-Drone Maker Without Authorities’ Knowledge

Sale illustrates Europe’s weak rules on purchases of sensitive technology

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.
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