China Bought Italian Military-Drone Maker Without Authorities’ Knowledge

In 2018, a Chinese state-controlled firm bought an Italian maker of armed forces drones. Shortly following, it commenced transferring the company’s know-how and technology—which had been utilized by the Italian armed forces in Afghanistan—to China.

The Italian and European authorities had no understanding of the shift, revealing how Beijing is skirting weak investment-screening in Europe to obtain sensitive technological innovation.