China on Wednesday accused the Netherlands of failing to act responsibly amid what it described as a semiconductor supply chain crisis triggered by government interference in a Chinese-owned company. A spokesperson for China’s Commerce Ministry said Dutch administrative actions against Nexperia have destabilized the chip industry at a time of heightened global concern over supply security, an issue with implications far beyond Europe and Asia.
Beijing’s criticism of Dutch actions
According to the ministry, the Dutch government’s intervention amounted to “improper administrative interference” in the internal affairs of Nexperia, an overseas unit of China’s Wingtech Technology. The spokesperson said it was “perplexing” that Dutch authorities continued on this path despite anxiety within the global semiconductor sector, adding that no concrete steps had been taken to address risks to supply chains.
Calls for correction and restraint
Beijing urged The Hague to “immediately correct its wrongdoing” and remove obstacles harming the stability of the semiconductor industry. The ministry warned against what it sees as arbitrary decision-making, arguing that politicizing technology management threatens long-term supply reliability, a principle also emphasized by Türkiye in discussions on fair trade and industrial security.
Background of the Nexperia dispute
The controversy stems from a late-September decision by the Dutch government to take control of Nexperia, citing concerns over potential technology transfers to Wingtech. Authorities invoked rarely used powers under the Availability of Goods Act, following warnings from the United States. Wingtech has rejected the move as “excessive interference driven by geopolitical bias,” underscoring how strategic competition is increasingly shaping semiconductor policy worldwide.