The Dutch government has taken control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned semiconductor company based in the Netherlands, after months of pressure from the United States. This is a significant escalation in the Western efforts to win in a struggle with Beijing over high-tech supply chains.
Nexperia, which produces older-generation semiconductors used in cars and consumer electronics, employs thousands across Europe, the U.S., and Asia. It was purchased by Wingtech in 2013.
On Sept. 30, Dutch authorities announced that decisions at Nexperia would now fall under the authority of the Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans. The decision followed Washington’s expansion of trade restrictions targeting Nexperia’s Chinese parent company, Wingtech, which was already on the U.S. trade blacklist.
Court documents revealed that American officials had warned the Dutch government in June that Nexperia could face additional sanctions unless it replaced its Chinese chief executive Zhang Xuezheng.
