Dutch Seizure of Nexperia Signals Europe’s Shift on Chinese Tech Investments

Experts say the Netherlands’ unprecedented move against a Chinese-owned chipmaker signals a new Cold War–style approach to technology control.
Dutch Seizure of Nexperia Signals Europe’s Shift on Chinese Tech Investments
The logo of Chinese-owned semiconductor company Nexperia is pictured in Hamburg, Germany, on June 27, 2024. Fabian Bimmer /Reuters
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The Dutch government’s taking the unusual step of seizing control of chipmaker Nexperia on Sept. 30, freezing assets and replacing its Chinese executives, signals a growing willingness in the West to treat even basic semiconductor technologies as strategic assets, analysts say.

The intervention, which cited a Cold War-era law, has become a defining moment in Europe’s effort to protect its technological sovereignty from China.