The Dutch government has taken the extraordinary step of sidelining the Chinese-controlled leadership of chipmaker Nexperia, citing threats to national security and fears of technology leakage to China.
In an unprecedented move, the Dutch government has invoked emergency powers to temporarily seize control over chipmaker Nexperia, citing “serious governance issues and actions” resulting in risks to national security. The intervention follows mounting concerns that sensitive semiconductor knowledge could be transferred to China through its parent company, Wingtech, which has been under US sanctions since late 2024.
The Chinese government has responded with export restrictions on products from Nexperia’s assembly and test plant in the Guangdong province. The chip firm confirmed to Dutch financial newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad that the company and its subcontractors have been hit by an export ban on products that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce classifies as dual-use. “Nexperia is actively negotiating with Chinese authorities to secure the lifting of these restrictions,” the report states.
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