Resumption of Nexperia’s chip supply unclear

Full restoration of Nexperia’s chip supply chain still appears some way off as the European and Chinese arms quarrel over which organization is to blame for the ongoing disruption. On Friday, Nexperia Europe rejected a claim by its Chinese unit that it was interfering with production by blocking wafer supplies, emphasizing that the Chinese have plenty of stock. “Therefore, any failure to make shipments is fully the responsibility of Nexperia’s entities in China,” the firm wrote in a statement.

Commenting on Beijing easing export restrictions for certain chips, Nexperia said that “while it signals progress, we note that this is a relaxation of export restrictions by means of exemptions rather than a full restoration of the supply chain.” The Dutch firm is working on alternative solutions to mitigate supply disruptions.

The Dutch government agreed to relinquish control of Nexperia once chip shipments are restored. “Once the supply resumes and we’re confident it will continue, then … we’ll take the appropriate steps that are needed by the Dutch government to resolve this issue,” Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans told The Guardian last week.

The interview fanned the flames ahead of diplomatic talks in China this week, with Karremans saying that “if I had been in the same position, with the knowledge I know now, I would have done the same thing again.” China’s Ministry of Commerce called the remarks misleading and reckless.