The Netherlands and China are locked in an escalating dispute over semiconductor firm Nexperia BV, after The Hague seized control of the Chinese-owned company last month, prompting Beijing to impose export restrictions. Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans said he spoke with China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao on Tuesday to discuss "further steps toward reaching a solution" that could serve both economies' interests.
The diplomatic contact follows weeks of mounting tension surrounding the Eindhoven-based chipmaker, which was placed under state supervision in what Dutch officials called an "exceptional" intervention to protect critical technology. The decision also suspended the authority of Nexperia's China-linked leadership for a year and barred the company from making structural or management changes without approval.
Inside Nexperia, the takeover has triggered infighting between its Dutch headquarters and China-based subsidiary. Reports from Nikkei Asia said Nexperia's China arm accused the parent company of cutting off salaries and access to internal systems - claims that Nexperia's European management labeled "false and misleading."
In a statement to Nikkei Asia, Nexperia said messages circulating among Chinese staff wrongly asserted that "the Dutch government and headquarters had abandoned the Chinese market" and that workers were no longer being paid. The company added that it had reported the matter to authorities and reaffirmed its "commitment to both its staff and customers in China."
Nexperia, a subsidiary of Shanghai-listed Wingtech, manufactures power and logic chips used widely in the automotive and electronics industries. Most of its semiconductors are packaged and sold in China, which has now restricted exports of certain Nexperia-made components, causing alarm among European carmakers who rely on them.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the Dutch seizure as "discriminatory" and politically motivated. Spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing "firmly opposes overstretching the concept of national security" and targeting Chinese companies under its pretext.
