China Grants Export Exemptions for Nexperia Chips for Civilian Applications Amid Supply-Chain Relief

China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it will begin granting exemptions to its export restrictions on chips produced by Netherlands-based Nexperia for civilian use. This decision comes after several weeks of international pressure and a growing supply-chain crisis affecting automakers.

The export curbs had been imposed as part of Beijing’s response to the Dutch government’s takeover of Nexperia, which is owned by China’s Wingtech Technology. While the government did not specify what constitutes “civilian use”, the move immediately raised hopes among German and Japanese car-component suppliers that critical chip shipments could resume.

Analysis / Impact:
The announcement offers a welcome reprieve for the global automotive industry, which faced shortages of foundational chips used in electronics systems across vehicles. By signalling a willingness to relax export controls and allow case-by-case exemptions, China appears to be mitigating risks of wider production stoppages.

Still, underlying tensions remain unresolved. The Dutch government’s takeover of Nexperia and the broader U.S.–China technology rivalry mean that the relief may be temporary unless a full negotiated settlement is reached. For now, suppliers will be watching whether exemptions become routine or remain patchy — the speed and scale of the waivers will determine how quickly supply chains recover.