Nexperia civil war erupts as Chinese and Dutch arms trade blows

The crisis surrounding the chipmaker Nexperia erupted into a war of words on Friday, with the company’s Chinese and Dutch arms trading barbs, while Beijing slammed the Dutch minister involved.

The fiery exchange, which took place over several hours late on Friday evening, will raise tensions ahead of crunch government talks in the Chinese capital next week aimed at resolving the future of the Chinese-owned, Dutch-based company that makes legacy chips vital to the automotive industry.

It shows the company’s Chinese and European arms at war, despite claims of a diplomatic resolution to the crisis last week. It also shows the searing tensions between the two countries involved, after the Dutch economy minister this week said he had no regrets over the affair.

China’s commerce ministry responded furiously to an interview given to the Guardian newspaper by Vincent Karremans on Thursday, in which he said he would repeat his actions if he had to.

“If I had been in the same position, with the knowledge I know now, I would have done the same thing again,” the minister said, in remarks that Beijing described as “not only reckless but utterly absurd”.

  

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