China’s Ministry of Commerce has warned of a potential new crisis in the global semiconductor supply chain stemming from escalating disputes between Dutch chipmaker Nexperia and its Chinese parent company, Wingtech.
Global automotive production faced disruptions in October when Beijing imposed export controls on Nexperia chips manufactured in China – a response to the Dutch government taking control of the company. Nexperia chips are widely used in vehicle electronic systems.
While chip shortages eased following diplomatic negotiations, the conflict between Nexperia’s Dutch headquarters and its Chinese owner has intensified. The Dutch side, reportedly encouraged by the United States, supports the move to remove Wingtech’s control, while the Chinese firm is demanding its restoration.
Nexperia’s situation is emblematic of the broader battle for control of the global semiconductor industry, as both the United States and China assert authority over chip and mineral supply chains.
Beijing’s warning on Saturday, March 7, 2026, came a day after Nexperia’s Chinese packaging arm accused the Dutch headquarters of deactivating office accounts for all employees in China.
“This has provoked new conflicts and created new difficulties and obstacles for negotiations [between companies],” the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement published on its official website.
“Nexperia Netherlands has seriously disrupted the normal production and operation of the company, and if this triggers another crisis in global semiconductor production and the supply chain, the Netherlands should bear full responsibility for this,” the ministry added.
In a statement on Friday, March 6, 2026, Nexperia Netherlands did not deny the IT action but disputed the Chinese subsidiary’s claim that it had affected production at the company’s assembly and test facility in Guangdong province.
The Chinese unit of Nexperia responded to the removal of Wingtech’s control in September by declaring its independence from the Netherlands. Since then, both sides have exchanged accusations of bad-faith negotiations, while the Dutch parent company suspended wafer supply to the Guangdong factory.
Efforts by Beijing, The Hague, and Brussels to pressure both parties to reach a mediated solution have yielded limited progress.
