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Mounties have charged four men with illegally exporting restricted information from Canada to China to help develop that country’s space satellites.

Investigators allege two employees of a Waterloo, Ont., technology company stole “technical data” from the company and then created a separate firm to broker contracts abroad.

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The two men, along with a former employee, landed contracts with two Chinese companies, including one that was state-owned, to create microelectronics that would “enhance” China’s satellite cameras, police said.

The fourth man was an employee of one of the Chinese companies.

“Canada has an international responsibility to safeguard its exports which potentially may be used against Canadians and their allies,” RCMP Supt. Jamie Jagoe said in a statement.

“This investigation is an example of foreign governments having an interest in Canadian-based controlled technology and it highlights the RCMP’s commitment to keeping Canadian’s safe from the potential misuse of that technology.”