The Dutch government has intervened in the control of the Chinese-owned chip company Nexperia, marking an unusual action and generating diplomatic friction. The information comes from Reuters. Dutch authorities justified the intervention due to fears that critical technology could be improperly transferred to its Chinese parent company, Wingtech.
Although the Dutch government does not become the formal owner of Nexperia, it has acquired powers to veto or reverse administrative decisions it deems harmful. Nexperia, headquartered in Nijmegen and focused on manufacturing chips for automobiles and consumer electronics, has operated under full control of Wingtech since its acquisition for about US$ 3.63 billion in 2018.
According to the official statement, its production was not interrupted by the intervention. To legitimize the measure, the Dutch government invoked powers provided for in the national law called “Availability of Goods Act”, never used before in this type of scenario. The news caused a drop of about 10% in Wingtech’s shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Wingtech reacted by accusing the intervention of “excessive interference driven by geopolitical bias”. The company stated that it will seek legal advice and government support to protect its interests.
In parallel, a court in Amsterdam suspended Wingtech president Zhang Xuezheng from Nexperia’s boards of directors and ordered the appointment of a non-Chinese independent director with decision-making power to replace his functions. The Dutch decision exacerbates tensions in the global context of disputes over technological control, especially in strategic sectors like semiconductors.
Fonte: brasil247.com