The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) Photo: VCG

Asked to respond to media inquiry for comment regarding a recent remark made by the EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic on his personal social media account regarding Nexperia issue, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Sunday that the root cause and responsibility for the current disruption in the global semiconductor supply chain lie with the Dutch side. 

China has taken note that the EU has indicated it will engage with the Netherlands, and we hope the EU will further step up its efforts to urge the Netherlands to promptly revoke the relevant measures and ensure the normal supply of Nexperia-related products, the spokesperson said.

The MOFCOM spokesperson said on Sunday that acting responsibly to safeguard the security and stability of the global semiconductor supply chain, China has already taken practical measures to exempt exports of related products for civil use that comply with regulations. The spokesperson said that the ministry welcomes the EU to continue exercising its influence to encourage the Netherlands to correct its erroneous actions as soon as possible.

On November 1, China's MOFCOM said that it will grant export exemptions to eligible shipments after a comprehensive review of the circumstances of companies, in response to questions about Nexperia, the semiconductor company owned by Chinese tech company Wingtech.

The ministry's spokesperson reiterated that China has previously responded to media inquiries on this issue, and stressed that "the Dutch government's improper interference in a company's internal affairs has disrupted global industrial and supply chains," according to a statement posted on MOFCOM's website.

Nexperia was legally acquired by China's Wingtech Technology in 2018 for $3.6 billion, according to media reports. Yet, the Dutch government claimed its decision in September to seize control of Nexperia from its Chinese parent company, Wingtech Technology, over so-called economic security concerns and suspended its CEO Zhang Xuezheng.

Global Times