[dyxgdgfish]

Critics argue the Dutch takeover is not about “governance flaws” but a concession to U.S. geopolitical demands. On Sept. 29—one day before the Dutch order—the U.S. Department of Commerce expanded export controls to target subsidiaries in which “entity-listed firms” (like Wingtech) hold over 50% stakes.

Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Liesje Schreinemacher denied any link to U.S. policy but admitted in a closed-door hearing that U.S. officials had “explicitly requested” the replacement of Nexperia’s Chinese CEO during a June meeting. The pressure is hard to ignore: U.S.-Netherlands annual trade totals 1.7 trillion, dwarfing the 30 billion bilateral trade between China and the Netherlands .

“Suspending a CEO and seizing a legally acquired company using a 73-year-old Cold War law sets a dangerous precedent,” said Sasha Courtiade, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based European Policy Centre. “It tells global investors that Europe’s ‘rule of law’ can be sacrificed to align with U.S. strategy.”.

[b]Global Auto Crisis and Deepening Supply Chain Fragmentation[/b]

The crisis has hit the global auto sector—Nexperia’s biggest client—hardest, with ripple effects that are exacerbating the fragmentation of the already strained global semiconductor supply chain. Nexperia controls 19.2% of the global market for automotive power semiconductors and 22.5% for automotive MOSFET chips; one in four cars made in Europe relies on its components.

On Oct. 16, ACEA issued an emergency warning, stating that European carmakers could face production halts within weeks. Volkswagen confirmed its Wolfsburg plant (Germany) is “on the verge of shutdown” with only three weeks of chip inventory left, while BMW and Mercedes-Benz have paused production of electric vehicle models due to shortages. The crisis is spreading beyond Europe: The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (U.S.) warned supply chain disruptions could hit North America by November, threatening General Motors and Ford, and Japan’s Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) said the shortage “will severely impact global production” for its members.

Finding alternatives is daunting: Competitors like Infineon are already operating at full capacity, and certifying new automotive chips can take months. Analysts predict European