Did US sanctions pressure drive a government takeover of a Chinese-owned chipmaker?
Core argument: The Dutch government seized control of chipmaker Nexperia after US officials warned in a June meeting that "it is almost certain that the CEO will have to be replaced to qualify for the exemption from the entity list.".
The Dutch government’s unprecedented move to seize control of Nexperia followed a US warning that the chipmaker would have to replace its Chinese chief executive officer to stay off a list of sanctioned companies. US officials told the Dutch government in a meeting in June that “it is almost certain that the CEO will have to be replaced to qualify for the exemption from the entity list,” according to a record of the proceedings released in a Dutch court ruling. The ruling detailed the arguments for the government takeover. Concerns around Nexperia’s governance culminated with the Dutch state taking over Nexperia via a Cold War-era law designed to shore up access to essential products in an emergency. Nexperia’s CEO and Wingtech’s founder, Zhang Xuezheng, was suspended and replaced with his European chief financial officer.


