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Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia

cnbc.com

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Re: Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia

#11

Post by Doxin »

rzerowan wrote: post #7
Doxin wrote: post #5

Some more context from a dutch news source[0]: The ministry of economic affairs intervened out of a fear that crucial technological skills and capacities will leave the Netherlands and Europe. The ministry stated in a press release[1] that there was a threat of a "knowledge leak" (w/e that means exactly) and a possible threat to the European economy. After this intervention the Dutch government can now stop or revers…

Maybe pressure from the US gov? As a negotiatingtactic vs China - remeber the moves against MotorSich in Ukraine some years back , where the deal was win-win for both but Washington put the kibosh on it and ultimately got destroyed by Russian offensive. Since the speed/urgency and unusual application of the law as you mention , mean extraodinary actions must have quite extraordinary causes. In any case still too many…

Believe it or not, but the dutch government has agency. It's not impossible for US pressure to be a factor, but I think it's more likely the management of the company was planning to move production to china or something like that. That'd (rightly!) spook the government into some quick action, especially given the political climate around Russia seemingly not being content with having their war confined to Ukraine.

Unfortunately we seem to be living in interesting times.

Re: Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia

#15

Post by [deleted] »

jacquesm wrote: post #6
rickdeckard wrote: post #2

Would be interested to hear some details on this from someone within Nexperia (or the automotive customers it supplied), if anyone is here on HN That governmental decision was surely not taken lightly, it's a significant move with high risk of increasing geopolitical tension...

That will not happen. But yes, you are right that this decision was not taken lightly, I've only heard of one other such move in the last 50 years or so. The Chinese propaganda machine is already making lots of waves about how NL is no longer a democracy and how this dings NL reputation abroad. The Dutch have put restrictions on Wingtech to not make certain changes (sale or move of assets, intellectual property, comp…

[deleted]

Re: Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia

#17

Post by tmnvix »

Doxin wrote: post #5

Some more context from a dutch news source[0]: The ministry of economic affairs intervened out of a fear that crucial technological skills and capacities will leave the Netherlands and Europe. The ministry stated in a press release[1] that there was a threat of a "knowledge leak" (w/e that means exactly) and a possible threat to the European economy. After this intervention the Dutch government can now stop or revers…

> For context, the law that allows this all to happen was passed in 1952 and has never before been used.

Interesting parallel here with China recently invoking - for the first time - their own legislation from the 50's to ban rare earth exports for military uses.

Re: Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia

#20

Post by nonethewiser »

Doxin wrote: post #5

Some more context from a dutch news source[0]: The ministry of economic affairs intervened out of a fear that crucial technological skills and capacities will leave the Netherlands and Europe. The ministry stated in a press release[1] that there was a threat of a "knowledge leak" (w/e that means exactly) and a possible threat to the European economy. After this intervention the Dutch government can now stop or revers…

So what just happened logistically?

I assume this is an entirely independent Chinese company without some Dutch sponsor or something. That conforms to local regulations. But now The Dutch government says "we have this new power over you" and that is that. With the consequence presumably being export control on dutch tech, banning from their market, etc? Or were there any more hooks planted that make it easier to force compliance? For example -- and I assume this is not the case in the Netherlands -- in China there is a 51% ownership of the foreign company by a local company (which is more or less state controlled).

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