The Dutch government has seized control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker, amidst rising geopolitical tensions with Beijing over technology, intellectual property, and semiconductors. The intervention, reported on Monday, October 13, 2025, by Reuters, stems from authorities' concerns regarding the transfer of crucial technological knowledge to Nexperia's Chinese parent company, Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd.

Nexperia, headquartered in Nijmegen, specializes in manufacturing semiconductor chips vital for the automotive industry and consumer electronics. The Dutch government announced its action under the “Availability of Goods Act,” empowering authorities to reverse or block management decisions deemed harmful, without taking direct ownership of the company itself. This move highlights a growing global trend of governments safeguarding critical technological assets.

Following the announcement, shares of Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd. on the Shanghai Stock Exchange experienced a significant decline, closing 10% lower at 41.83 Chinese Yuan, down from 46.48 Chinese Yuan. This financial impact underscores the severity of the Dutch intervention.

Wingtech Technology vehemently contested the Dutch government's actions, characterizing the intervention as allegedly “driven by geopolitical bias.” The Chinese parent company further claimed that non-Chinese executives within Nexperia had attempted to forcibly alter the chipmaker's equity structure through legal proceedings, describing this as a “cloaked power grab” within the firm. Wingtech, which acquired Nexperia for $3.63 billion in 2018, asserted its compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and stated it is currently consulting lawyers and seeking government support to protect its “legitimate rights and interests.”

The Dutch government, however, justified its actions by citing issues related to “crucial technological knowledge,” without providing further specifics. It emphasized that “The loss of these capabilities could pose a risk to Dutch and European economic security,” underscoring the strategic importance of Nexperia’s operations to the region’s technological independence and stability.