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The Dutch government’s seizure of Nexperia, a semiconductor manufacturer owned by China’s Wingtech Technology, followed growing pressure from the United States, according to court documents cited by Reuters on Tuesday.
The newly released Dutch court filing shows that U.S. officials told their Dutch counterparts that Nexperia’s Chinese CEO “would have to be replaced” if the firm were to qualify for an exemption from Washington’s entity list, according to the report.
The disclosure comes after the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs announced in September that it had invoked the Goods Availability Act against Nexperia to prevent “a situation in which goods produced by Nexperia (finished and semi-finished products) would become unavailable in an emergency.”
Minutes from a June 12 meeting between US Commerce Department and Dutch Foreign Ministry officials revealed increasing American pressure to remove Nexperia’s Chinese CEO. “The fact that the company’s CEO remains the same Chinese owner is problematic,” the filing said, citing the meeting records. “It is almost certain the CEO will have to be replaced to qualify for the exemption from the entity list,” according to Reuters.
When asked at a regular press briefing about Nexperia’s claim that China had banned its exports while the Netherlands restricted it on national security grounds, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the case was highly specific and should be referred to relevant authorities.
“China firmly opposes the overstretching of national security and discriminatory practices targeting specific countries or companies,” Lin said. “Countries concerned should adhere to market principles and refrain from politicizing trade issues. China’s determination to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests remains unwavering.”
Wingtech was placed on the U.S. entity list in December 2024, and Washington last month expanded the restrictions to include majority-owned subsidiaries, Reuters reported.
Wingtech told investors on Monday that the Dutch actions would not cause short-term disruption to its production or R&D activities. The company has launched a legal appeal, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, adding that executives believe Dutch authorities are yielding to US pressure but remain confident the decision can be overturned.
Nexperia is one of the world’s largest producers of basic chips such as transistors—components that are not technologically complex but essential for a wide range of electronic devices. Its largest manufacturing site is in Hamburg, Germany, while most packaging and assembly work takes place in China.
Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times that governments should refrain from excessive interference in business operations. “Government oversight must remain within reasonable limits,” he said. “It is especially inappropriate for one country’s laws to be used to interfere with enterprises in another sovereign nation.”
Zhou added that such actions distort market order and undermine fair competition. “Arbitrary restrictions designed to limit competitors erode fair play and damage global economic credibility,” he said. “For economies that rely on competition to drive innovation under globalization, these practices are deeply harmful.”
In a statement published Sunday on its WeChat account, Wingtech said the Dutch government’s decision to freeze Nexperia’s global operations on vague “national security” grounds represents geopolitical overreach rather than a factual risk assessment.
“As a long-term strategic shareholder, Wingtech will not bow to external political pressure,” the company said. “We have activated all available legal and diplomatic channels, urging the Dutch government to revoke this erroneous order, end systemic discrimination against Chinese enterprises, and uphold openness and cooperation in the global semiconductor supply chain.”
Wingtech emphasized that since acquiring Nexperia, it has operated transparently and in full compliance with the laws and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions.
