Many journalists gathered on Wednesday morning in a large office park in the satellite city of New Taipei, a half-hour drive from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. Early in the morning, most cameras and reporters crowded the hallways of the third floor of one of the buildings awaiting the arrival of Hsu Ching-kuang, CEO and founder of Gold Apollo. This is the technology company accused of being behind the manufacturing of the AR-924 seeker models that exploded en masse in Lebanon.
"That product was not ours," Hsu stated in front of the microphones, asserting that the explosive seekers that were detonated simultaneously and remotely throughout Lebanon on Tuesday, causing the death of nine people, including eight Hezbollah fighters, and leaving nearly 3,000 injured, would have been manufactured by a European company that had the license to use the Gold Apollo brand.
In a subsequent statement, Gold Apollo revealed that this European company that had used their brand is called BAC Consulting KFT, and is based in Budapest. "According to the agreement, we authorized BAC to use our registered trademark for the sale of products in specific regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely the responsibility of BAC. We only provide trademark authorization and have no involvement in the design and manufacturing of this product," emphasized the statement from a company founded in 1995, with around 40 employees, specialized in manufacturing seekers and small wireless communication devices used in restaurants, hotels, and events.
The focus on Gold Apollo intensified after the New York Times and Reuters, citing anonymous officials, revealed that Israel had manipulated the seekers by placing small amounts of explosive material alongside the battery of each locator. A remote-triggered switch was also embedded to detonate the explosives.
"We are a serious company. What has happened is a disgrace," added Hsu, who appeared very nervous in front of the cameras. Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs also quickly released a statement ensuring that there were no records of direct exports of the devices to Lebanon.
"It is clear that the devices were modified in Europe. It must be the Hungarian company that should provide explanations," commented a Taiwanese government official during a phone conversation. Through official channels, the island's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to the request for comments.
In Taipei, there is concern that all this turmoil could shake its prosperous technological industry, crucial in global supply chains. Taiwan is the global epicenter of the most advanced semiconductors, highly demanded because they are essential to power virtually all electronic products worldwide.
Approximately two-thirds of Taiwan's exports, which represent around 70% of its GDP, consist of electronic products and machinery. The vast majority of the most modern chips are produced by a single company, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC).
Taiwanese officials are quite uncomfortable with how the storm unleashed in the Middle East by the mysterious explosions of Hezbollah's seekers has reached this self-governing island that faces the daily threat of invasion from China. Taipei, which does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, prides itself on staying out of any conflict unrelated to its front with Beijing.
But in the Gaza war, the Taiwanese government, as usual, follows what the United States, its main international backer and arms supplier, says, so it has shown full support for Israel, both after the Hamas attack and in the bloody response of the Israeli army.