According to sources, the Dutch government had no choice but to intervene at Nexperia because the company’s CEO was stealing British trade secrets.
This is according to NRC. In addition, Zhang Xuezheng wanted to move wafer production to China and discontinue it in Europe. The CEO of Wingtech, the owner of Nexperia, also stole information on MOSFET production from a factory in the United Kingdom. This information was passed on to another company owned by the CEO in China. He was also about to close a company research center in Munich and finally wanted to lay off 40 percent of the European workforce.
The CEO, also known as Wing, is said to have taken these actions because Wingtech was blacklisted by the US government in December 2024. As a result, the company was no longer able to trade with that country.
Nexperia intervention: turbulent times and Chinese government action
What is going on at Nexperia?
In mid-October, the Dutch government intervened at Nexperia, headquartered in Nijmegen. The CEO was dismissed and, for the first time in Dutch history, the Goods Availability Act was invoked. This ensured that certain goods—in this case, chips produced by Nexperia—and knowledge remain available in Europe.
Since then, there has been a lot of news surrounding the company, as many companies and governments are involved. For example, the Chinese government has also taken action by imposing an export ban. This applies to products manufactured by Nexperia at its factory in Guangdong, China. The ban caused significant unrest among European manufacturers.
Nexperia develops various chips used in cars, among other applications. The automotive industry had already expressed serious concerns about a possible chip shortage. Volkswagen, among others, has since announced that it has found another supplier for the necessary chips, allowing production lines to continue as usual.
It is still unclear how this story will unfold, but it is far from over. What is certain is that the Dutch government is in talks with China about next steps. These talks are being held by, among others, outgoing Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans.