Beijing, Dec 31 — China on Wednesday called on the Netherlands to reverse what it described as “mistaken actions” involving semiconductor maker Nexperia, warning that the dispute risks further destabilising the global chip supply chain.
The remarks follow a move by the Dutch government in September to take control of Nexperia, a Netherlands-based chipmaker owned by Chinese electronics firm Wingtech. Dutch authorities said the intervention was aimed at preventing the transfer of sensitive technology and production capacity to China.
Beijing responded by restricting exports of Nexperia-manufactured chips, which are widely used in automotive systems and consumer electronics and are largely packaged in China.
In a statement, China’s Ministry of Commerce urged the Netherlands to abandon what it called unilateral measures and to remove barriers undermining the stability and security of the global semiconductor industry.
“China once again calls on the Netherlands to immediately correct its mistakes and clear the obstacles to restoring a stable global chip supply chain,” the ministry said.
The Dutch government did not immediately comment on the latest remarks.
In November, the Netherlands temporarily suspended its intervention in Nexperia as negotiations with Beijing continued. Since then, Wingtech has entered discussions with court-appointed custodians overseeing Nexperia’s operations.
Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans has repeatedly defended the government’s decision, saying the move was necessary despite its political and economic sensitivities.
“I wouldn’t describe it as enjoyable, but it was necessary,” Karremans said in a recent interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, adding that national interests outweighed concerns over discomfort or backlash.
China’s commerce ministry criticised that stance as “perplexing,” arguing that the Dutch government’s administrative interference had contributed to disruptions across the global semiconductor supply chain and that responsibility for the fallout lay with The Hague.
