The Department of Justice has brought economic espionage charges against a state-owned enterprise of the People’s Republic of China, a Taiwanese company, and three individuals for allegedly stealing trade secrets from an Idaho-based semi-conductor company, FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich and Justice Department officials announced today.

In addition to the criminal charges, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said that “for the first time ever, we also bring a civil action to stop the export of the illegal goods and prevent them from competing with the American product in America.”

The Justice Department today also announced the creation of a new working group on China to combat the theft of intellectual property.

“We will support it in all regards,” said Bowdich of the initiative. “We are bringing all of our investigative resources to bear against this threat to protect the United States and our interests.”

Bowdich stressed that China poses a broad, complicated, and serious threat to U.S. interests and “every type of business is at risk” no matter its size, type, or location.

“They seek to gain any advantage on the global stage, through whatever data they can pilfer,” Bowdich said of the Chinese economic espionage threat.

Bowdich also emphasized the role of partnerships in the success of these efforts. The FBI is working shoulder-to-shoulder with state and local law enforcement and, where appropriate, exchanging information with American businesses and universities.

“We know we have to be in lockstep with our partners at every single level,” Bowdich said.