China urges Netherlands against 'interference' in chipmaker Nexperia case

ISTANBUL

China on Tuesday urged the Netherlands to act “responsibly” in resolving the chipmaker Nexperia case, urging Amsterdam to stop interfering in the company’s internal affairs.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry said that the Dutch government's administrative order issued on Sept. 30 constituted an “improper interference” in the company's internal affairs.

The spokesperson added that this was followed by a “wrongful” Dutch court ruling that stripped Chinese companies of their “equity” and “seriously infringed” the rights and interests of Chinese companies.

The spokesperson mentioned that the Dutch government disregarded demands by the Chinese side, failed to demonstrate a “constructive attitude” or action, and escalated the global supply chain crisis.

The ministry spokesperson said that on Oct. 26, Nexperia Netherlands announced a halt to wafer supplies to Nexperia China, causing the latter to be unable to operate normally and creating “turmoil” in the global semiconductor supply chain.

China, acting responsibly for the “stability and security” of the global semiconductor supply chain, announced on Nov. 1 that it would allow export exemptions for qualified cases to help Nexperia's China unit resume supply, the spokesperson said.

But the Dutch side has continued to act “unilaterally” without taking any concrete steps to resolve the issue, the spokesperson added.

Beijing urges the Dutch side to “work with the Chinese side responsibly,” within the consideration of China-EU economic and trade relations, and to “stop interfering in corporate internal affairs and find a constructive solution to the Nexperia issue,” the spokesperson said.

Beijing imposed an export ban on chips produced by the company’s factories in China, following the Netherlands’ move on Sept. 30 to take temporary control of Nexperia under a 1952 law that allows the Dutch government to block or reverse company decisions that could endanger national or European production.

Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans has justified the Netherlands’ position by citing concerns that “crucial technological knowledge and capabilities” could leave Europe.

Nexperia, headquartered in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, produces simple but essential chips used in cars and household electronics. The firm was acquired in 2019 by China’s Wingtech Technology.