FT: Supplier of Czech ID card components partly owned by Chinese firms under US restrictions

French electronic component supplier Linxens, whose products are used in Czech identity cards, is partly owned by two Chinese investment firms that the United States placed under trade restrictions in 2024 over national security concerns, the Financial Times reported.

According to the newspaper, detailed knowledge of national identity documents could pose an intelligence risk. Linxens is owned through a holding company backed by Beijing-based private equity firms Wise Road Capital and JAC Capital, both of which were sanctioned by the US over allegations they helped China acquire sensitive semiconductor technologies.

The Czech state security printer said it had identified no security risks. It noted that the chip itself was produced by a “trusted Dutch company” and that Linxens met all legal requirements for participation in the procurement process.