Posted on 27 Nov 2025
The Netherlands is suspending an intervention invoked on Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia in September under the Goods Availability Act, easing tensions with Beijing.
Economic affairs minister Vincent Karremans said in a statement on Wednesday that the “constructive step” follows close consultation with European and international partners, Kallanish reports.
“We are positive about the measures already taken by the Chinese authorities to ensure the supply of chips to Europe and the rest of the world,” he says. “We see this as a show of goodwill. We will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with the Chinese authorities in the period ahead.”
The ministerial order had been invoked in response to “serious concerns” stemming from actions attributed to the now-suspended ceo Zhang Xuezheng, founder of Nexperia’s major shareholder Wingtech Technology. The Dutch government says these relate to improper transfer of product assets, funds, technology, and knowledge to a foreign entity, impacting Dutch and European strategic autonomy and supply security.
However, the government denies involvement in the suspension of the ceo and placing the company’s shares under management. It says this was done by board members who initiated proceedings before the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. The economic affairs ministry described the measure as a “regular procedure” under Dutch commercial law while the investigation is ongoing.
The suspension does not remove oversight entirely. Nexperia must continue reporting any movement of production assets or knowledge between its facilities, and provisional governance measures imposed by the Enterprise Chamber remain in force.
Nexperia’s silicon wafers are primarily produced in Germany and the UK, and then shipped to China, Malaysia and the Philippines to be cut into individual chips, which are then packaged and tested before being shipped to customers. The chips are legacy, low-margin and cost semiconductors used mostly in the automotive sector.
In a letter to the Dutch parliament, Karremans says the dialogue with China intensified, and exemptions have now been granted for the export of Nexperia chips from China, following a deal between Beijing and Washington. He also adds that Nexperia is no longer behaving in the way that triggered the intervention, but noted the company continues to experience disruptions in its production process in China.
“It is in the interest of China, the Netherlands, Europe, the United States and economies worldwide to find a joint resolution. My primary priority is therefore, in cooperation with China, to restart these supply chains in order to address the most urgent concerns of businesses, while also safeguarding long-term security of supply for European industry – the original purpose of my intervention,” he continues.
EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič welcomed the Dutch decision, noting it’s “another key step in stabilising our strategic chip supply chains.” Carmaker BMW also welcomed the “positive signals” but cautioned that the situation remained volatile.
At the time of writing, Nexperia, China’s commerce ministry MOFCOM and the China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA) had not publicly commented on the announcement.
Source:Kallanish
