File photo: VCG

The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) expressed strong opposition and condemnation to the Dutch government's recent decision to seize control of Nexperia under the Goods Availability Act, the Chinese chamber said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

By invoking a seldom-used law on tenuous "national security" grounds, the Dutch authorities have engaged in a modern act of economic banditry driven by geopolitical calculation, the CCCEU said, noting that this move represents a flagrant breach of market economy principles and international trade norms, and the chamber expresses its unequivocal condemnation and firm opposition.

On Sunday evening, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs revealed that it had invoked the "Goods Availability Act" on Nexperia in September in order "to prevent a situation in which the goods produced by Nexperia (finished and semi-finished products) would become unavailable in an emergency."

In the statement, the chamber noted that, since its acquisition by Wingtech Technology, Nexperia has fully complied with all applicable regulations and made sustained, substantial contributions to the semiconductor ecosystem in both the Netherlands and Europe.

Over the past five years, the company has paid more than 130 million euros in taxes to the Dutch treasury, created thousands of skilled local jobs, lifted R&D spending by 150 per cent since its acquisition, and raised annual patent filings from just over ten to more than one hundred — a marked boost to Europe's technological depth and innovative edge, said the CCCEU.

"It is deeply unjust that a company bringing such tangible economic and technological benefits should face discriminatory treatment. The decision erodes legal certainty and market fairness — the very principles underpinning the EU's single market," the Chinese chamber said, noting that "in doing so, the Dutch government risks not only damaging Chinese-invested enterprises but also undermining the open, competitive business environment that Europe has long prided itself on."

The CCCEU firmly opposes the politicization of business matters. The chamber said that it fully supports Wingtech Technology and Nexperia in taking all necessary measures to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. The chamber also urges the Dutch government to revoke this misguided decision without delay and to restore the conditions for rational, cooperative engagement.

Wingtech Technology, in a Sunday statement published on its WeChat account, stated that the Dutch government's global operational freeze on Nexperia, based on unsubstantiated "national security" grounds, constitutes a case of overreaching driven by geopolitical bias rather than a factual risk assessment.

As a long-term strategic shareholder, Wingtech Technology will not yield to external political pressure, the company said. "We have initiated all available legal and diplomatic channels, requesting that the Dutch government immediately revoke the erroneous directive, cease systemic discrimination against Chinese enterprises, and uphold openness and cooperation of the global semiconductor industry chain."

"The semiconductor industry is a product of globalization, and its future depends on collaboration, not confrontation," the company said, noting that governments should provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises, rather than weaponizing technological cooperation.