Shanghai-listed Wingtech Technology has rejected a Nexperia restructuring proposal that would remove its control over the Dutch chipmaker’s assets outside China, calling the move an expropriation driven by discrimination against Chinese investors. The decision deepens a year-long dispute between the company and Dutch authorities as international scrutiny over semiconductor supply chains tightens.
Key points
- Wingtech Technology rejected a plan that would strip its authority over Dutch semiconductor firm Nexperia’s overseas assets.
- The company described the restructuring proposal as discriminatory expropriation directed at Chinese capital.
- The stand-off follows a year of friction with Dutch officials as Wingtech confronts a delisting deadline in China.
- Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten is scheduled to visit Beijing in the spring amid escalating semiconductor tensions.
The dispute over Nexperia assets
Wingtech issued a statement outlining its opposition to the restructuring arrangement on Tuesday. Under the proposed terms, the Chinese company would lose managerial and operational control over Nexperia facilities and operations situated outside mainland China.
The company condemned the framework, stating that removing its ownership authority amounted to an expropriation driven by bias against Chinese investors. Wingtech has owned the Nijmegen-based semiconductor manufacturer, which produces basic chips and discrete components used across the automotive and industrial sectors, following an acquisition cleared in earlier regulatory cycles.
Mounting pressure on Wingtech
The disagreement marks the culmination of a year-long confrontation between Wingtech and government authorities in the Netherlands over national security and technology supply chains. Western regulators have tightened oversight of foreign ownership in the semiconductor industry, creating operational roadblocks for Chinese parent companies managing overseas fabrication plants.
Wingtech faces compounding difficulties in its domestic market. Alongside the conflict in Europe, the Shanghai-traded business is navigating an impending deadline that could result in its shares being delisted at home.
Diplomatic talks ahead
The confrontation over Nexperia adds friction to relations between European and Chinese officials over semiconductor manufacturing and export policy. The Netherlands remains central to global chip production through equipment manufacturers and domestic fabrication sites.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten is scheduled to make an official diplomatic visit to Beijing in the spring, where cross-border trade, technology controls, and corporate investments are expected to feature during bilateral discussions.
