China and the Netherlands seek ‘pragmatic’ reset as Nexperia row rolls on

2026.03.21 10:20 Chinese-owned Dutch semiconductor company Nexperia has been at the centre of a row between China and the Netherlands. Photo: Reuters The phone call between the Dutch and Chinese foreign ministers was a first on a series of fronts. For the new Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, the call on March 13 was his first with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi since taking on the job a few weeks earlier. It was also the first between the two holders of the offices since China and the Netherlands became embroiled in a row over the control of Chinese-owned, Netherlands-based chipmaker Nexperia. Nexperia is a major component in the electric vehicle supply chain and wholly owned by Wingtech Technology, a company that the United States has blacklisted in its growing technological rivalry with China. In September, Dutch authorities seized control of Nexperia’s management and ousted its Chinese CEO, Zhang Xuezheng – who is also Wingtech’s founder – to prevent what it said was the transfer of technology from Nexperia to China. The move upended supply chains around the world and led to a series of swift countermeasures by Beijing. The row has yet to be resolved but in the call with Berendsen in mid-March, Wang said China appreciated the “positive signals”. “China and the Netherlands are important partners for each other,” the Chinese foreign ministry quoted him as saying. “China appreciates the positive signals from the new Dutch government regarding its emphasis on relations with China.” Wang said he encouraged the Dutch government to maintain an “independent and autonomous” approach and support normal commercial exchanges between companies from the two countries. During the call, Wang described the Netherlands as an important partner whose cooperation benefited both countries and underpinned the stability of global supply chains. The conversation marked an early diplomatic engagement following the formation of the Netherlands’ new cabinet last month, but analysts sa

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