TAIPEI, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Taiwan prosecutors said on

Wednesday that they indicted three people of theft of trade

secrets from chipmaker TSMC saying they conspired to

use the information to help Japan's Tokyo Electron ( TOELF ) in

competing for TSMC supplier deals for the 2nm process.

The three defendants included a former TSMC employee, surnamed

Chen, who after joining chipmaking tools supplier Tokyo Electron ( TOELF )

had solicited help from his former colleagues for the

information on TSMC's technology trade secret, the prosecutors

said.

They said they were recommending a combined 14 year prison

term for Chen for violating Taiwan's trade secrets and national

security laws.