The Dutch government could hand back control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia after Beijing resumed critical semiconductor supplies, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing sources.
The Netherlands seized the Dutch-based chipmaker last month, citing risks to the EU’s economic and technological security. Amsterdam invoked a never-before-used emergency law to take control of the manufacturer, which is owned by China’s Wingtech Technology. Wingtech reportedly condemned the intervention as “an act of excessive interference driven by geopolitical bias.”
Beijing responded by restricting Nexperia’s exports from China, which account for about half of the company’s total output. The move quickly rippled through the auto sector, forcing production cuts at several European plants.
The Dutch government reportedly said on Thursday that it expects Nexperia’s Chinese unit to resume chip supplies in the coming days, calling recent talks with Beijing “constructive.”
Philipp von Hirschheydt, chief executive of Aumovio SE – a parts supplier for Volkswagen, Stellantis, and BMW – told Bloomberg that China’s Commerce Ministry had effectively lifted the broader Nexperia export ban on Friday. He said his company had already received an export license and shipped Nexperia-made semiconductors and components to clients.
Other manufacturers, including Honda and Bosch, also reported that shipments had resumed, allowing disrupted production to gradually restart.
People familiar with the matter confirmed that Chinese authorities had informed automakers that Nexperia parts could be exported without issue to ease short-term supply shortages.
The production of semiconductors remains a particularly sensitive area due to their critical role in global technology and security, as they have both civilian and military uses.
The Dutch takeover came at a time of escalating global trade tensions. Over the past year, China and the EU have clashed over what the bloc claims is Beijing’s dumping of certain key goods and its industrial overproduction. China has accused the EU of protectionism.
Last month, Beijing tightened export controls on rare earth elements and magnets, in a step that could further hurt the EU’s struggling auto industry.
According to a report by Politico, which cited court documents, Dutch authorities took control of Nexperia under pressure from the US, which is also locked in a trade dispute with China.
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