China on Wednesday urged the Netherlands to correct what it described as “mistakes” related to its intervention in chipmaker Nexperia, warning that the dispute is harming the stability of the global semiconductor production and supply chain.
The call follows 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 decision was intended to prevent company technology and production capacity from being transferred to China, citing national security concerns.
Beijing responded by blocking exports of Nexperia-produced chips that are packaged in China. These chips are widely used in automobiles and consumer electronics, raising concerns across international manufacturing sectors dependent on steady semiconductor supplies.
In a statement, China’s Ministry of Commerce criticized the Dutch government’s actions and urged it to stop acting unilaterally. The ministry called on the Netherlands to immediately remove what it described as administrative obstacles and take responsibility for restoring security and stability in the global semiconductor supply chain.
The Dutch government did not immediately respond to China’s latest remarks. However, in November, the Netherlands temporarily suspended its intervention in Nexperia as a gesture of goodwill while discussions with Chinese officials continued.
Since then, Wingtech has entered talks with court-appointed custodians overseeing Nexperia. Despite ongoing negotiations, Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Vincent Karremans has continued to defend the decision to intervene.
In a recent interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Karremans said the move was necessary despite its difficulty. He stressed that national decisions should not be guided by comfort or convenience but by what he believes is required to protect the country’s interests.
China’s commerce ministry described the Dutch position as “perplexing,” arguing that the intervention directly triggered disruptions in the global semiconductor supply chain. The ministry said the Netherlands must bear full responsibility for the consequences of what it called inappropriate administrative interference in Nexperia’s internal affairs.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between economic security policies and the highly interconnected global semiconductor industry, where government actions in one country can quickly ripple across international markets.