Context:
Nexperia is a major semiconductor manufacturer that produces essential electronic components like transistors, diodes, and logic chips. Originally spun off from NXP, it's now Chinese-owned and known for high-volume production of reliable components used across automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics. It produces essential components used across all electronics and it's key supplier to automotive industry during chip shortages.
The Dutch move:
Dutch government takes over Nexperia:
The Dutch government has ousted the Chinese CEO of Nexperia, a semiconductor chip manufacturer based in Nijmegen. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the caretaker government intervened at Nexperia because it feared that crucial technologies and capabilities would disappear from the Netherlands and Europe.
The Dutch government implemented the Goods Availability Act against Nexperia, allowing the Netherlands to block or reverse decisions within the company if these are “(potentially) harmful to the interests of the company, to its future as a Dutch and European enterprise, and/or to the preservation of this critical value chain for Europe.”
According to NOS, the Goods Availability Act has been in place since 1952, and this is the first time a Dutch government has used it
Although this move may seem sudden, it comes just days after Trump initiated another tariff war with China. Many suspect direct American intervention in the Netherlands regarding this entire affair. Read further for what may be an unsurprising disclaimer from the Dutch side.
China reply:
China halted the export of products from the Chinese Nexperia factory until further notice. The Netherlands is freaking out.
The Chinese government acted based on incorrect assumptions when it imposed export restrictions on chip manufacturer Nexperia in response to the Dutch government intervening in the company’s operations, caretaker Minister Vincent Karremans (Economic Affairs) said before the weekly Cabinet meeting. The Chinese are “mixing up a few things,” he said.
According to Karremans, Beijing wrongly assumes that the Netherlands acted under American pressure. The United States has long had its sights set on Nexperia's Chinese parent company
Fallout
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) previously warned that virtually all European car makers are affected by the Nexperia conflict. According to the organizations, current stocks of Nexperia chips will be exhausted in a few weeks. ACEA called the situation alarming and advocated for swift and pragmatic solutions from all countries involved.
Europe continues to lose its credibility with these kinds of actions: seizing private companies and appropriating frozen Russian assets. Instead of focusing on solving European problems—such as German deindustrialization, uncontrolled migration, and the erosion of Western national identities—EU elites seem intent on courting conflict with various parts of the world, seemingly just to please their "big daddy," the United States of America. But the world today is not what it was 20–30 years ago. New global players have emerged, and the old Western rules—and control—no longer apply.
We anticipate a harsh set of actions against China from our esteemed leader, Ursula von der Liar.
