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Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans said Wednesday that the government has suspended its move to take control of Chinese-owned chip maker Nexperia, a supplier vital to the auto industry, following the partial easing of Chinese export restrictions on the company’s products.
"In light of recent developments, I consider it the right moment to take a constructive step by suspending my order under the Goods Availability Act regarding Nexperia," he said, signaling easing tensions to give relief to global automakers.
"We are positive about the measures already taken by the Chinese authorities to ensure the supply of chips to Europe and the rest of the world," he said, referring to Beijing’s move to exempt some chips from the export ban, reportedly as part of a trade deal agreed by President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. He described the Chinese move as "a show of goodwill" and stated that the Dutch government would continue to engage in "constructive dialogue" with Beijing in the coming period.
The dispute began in September, when the Dutch government effectively took control of Nexperia, a Netherlands-based chip maker owned by China’s Wingtech. The Dutch Finance Ministry cited national security concerns and alleged mismanagement by the company’s chief executive as the basis for its move to take control of the firm.
China responded by banning the re-export of Nexperia’s chips, which are used in vehicle onboard electronics and prompted car makers to warn that the restrictions could lead to production stoppages if supplies were disrupted.
Nexperia designs and manufactures chips used across various electronic systems, including those in the auto industry. While the company oversees design and production, all chips are sent to China for final processing before being shipped to customers, meaning any disruption at this stage directly affects companies that rely on its components.
Following the Dutch finance minister’s statement, the first reaction came from German automaker BMW, which said it saw “positive signals” but underlined that the overall situation remains in limbo.
A company spokesperson stated that production at its plants was continuing, yet described conditions as volatile due to uncertainty surrounding chip supplies.
"We explicitly welcome the positive signals from the political sphere on this issue. We are continuously monitoring this development but cannot comment further at this time," the spokesperson told Reuters.
European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic said he welcomed the Netherlands’ decision to suspend its intervention in Nexperia, describing it as another step toward stabilizing the bloc’s strategic chip supply chain.
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